


Journey of the Soul

by Queen_Medieva



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Dark Hermione Granger, Drama, F/M, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Powerful Hermione Granger, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:21:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 109,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27923707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queen_Medieva/pseuds/Queen_Medieva
Summary: A decade spent as the Undesirable Number One under the Dark Lord's tyrannical regime would challenge anyone's perception of "right" and "wrong".What lengths would YOU go to for a chance at a new life?In the early morning hours of May 2nd 2008, exactly ten years after the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione Granger ceased to exist.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Tom Riddle, Hermione Granger/Tom Riddle | Voldemort
Comments: 435
Kudos: 420





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my story!
> 
> This is an Alternate Universe fan fiction which involves Time Travel. There will NOT be any Time Turners involved. Most of the story will happen during the Marauder's Era. The plotline will move slowly and the story will most likely include Character Deaths, Graphic Descriptions of Violence and Explicit Sexual Content. Tags will be added as needed, but consider yourself warned.  
> Pottermore might, on occasion, go ignored as I do not consider it canon. This story is largely based on the original J.K Rowling Harry Potter book and movie series, but significant changes will be made to the plotline.  
> For example, I do not consider it plausible that one of the most powerful wizards in recent history was killed by a 17 year old boy. Nor do I consider it acceptable for adults allowing a group of kids to fight their wars. Some Dumbledore bashing will likely occur. The characters will not be black and white. No heroes and no cookie-cutter villains. J.K. Rowling wrote her story for kids. This one is for adults.
> 
> Thank you for giving my story a chance. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters and the storyline from the Harry Potter world and franchise, which is trademarked by J. K. Rowling.
> 
> Russian translation by Reylllex: https://ficbook.net/readfic/10446478

May 1st 2008

Moments of such unadulterated relief were much harder to come by than those of crushing defeat. At least in the life she has led for the past ten years. After all this time she remembered it vaguely, everything seemed coloured with crimson.

What stood out in her memory the most were the sounds of screaming, the stench of death surrounding her from every direction. The burgeoning flutter of hope she experienced, when she saw that barely perceptible twitch of his fingers, turned into a roar of triumph when The Chosen One leaped out of Hagrid's arms to face his Nemesis.

Spells swished in every direction, a mockery of a rainbow lighting up the sky. Some innocuous like the red Stunners or silver Body-Bind Spells. Others decidedly more sinister like the green of the Killing Curse or bright blue of the Blasting Curse. The purple, crimson and other ominously coloured Dark Curses were blasted from only one direction.

At seventeen she wouldn't know what they were and even if she did, would never use them. Such scruples were also a thing of the past.

She remembered ducking out of the way as the Killing Curse wheezed past her only to find herself faced with a tall figure clad in dark robes and a forebodingly beautiful mask. The feeling of dread overwhelmed her for less than a second, her logical mind taking over, directing her body into duelling-mode. Her spell work was agile and shrewd, if a bit crude and imaginative. There wasn't much space for finesse for a teenage girl who found herself faced with an opponent, most likely at least twenty years her senior, with twice the experience in combat. No, she had to rely on her quick wit and resourcefulness. It was a matter of survival.

Even a decade later she found it surprising that she didn't have to kill that day. No, her first kill came months later. As it was, her opponent was struck dead with a stray spell and for the first time in her young life she was graced with the sight of the Entrail-Expelling Curse in work. First time, but unfortunately not the last.

She immediately turned to gauge the present levels of danger in her immediate area and was struck dumb by the sudden silence that fell on the battlefield. Gasps could be heard from all around her, then a scream of anguish tore through the crowd. It was Ginny. She saw her just a few feet ahead, falling on her knees, weeping. Everything went silent and Hermione found herself stumbling forward, past a crying Arthur Weasley and the Patil twins, barely registering that one of them was kneeling over, what was left of, Hestia Jones. She knew what sight awaited her as she reached the clearing, nothing else could've caused such a reaction, but that didn't make it hurt any less.

Harry's dead body was splayed on the pavement like a macabre puppet, who's had its strings cut off. The puppeteer stood right next to it, slowly bending down to pry a Phoenix Core wand from its dead hand, breaking it in two without fanfare. She heard an angry shout and turned her head to see Ron, being bodily tackled to the ground by George and Charlie, preventing him from running off in another headstrong, ill-advised attempt at heroism.

What went through her head at that moment would be impossible to explain. Tears were blurring her vision and she realised that Voldemort must've ordered his Death Eaters to seize fighting the moment he killed Harry Potter for none of them moved. There were a few disbelieving laughs, roars of triumph. Notably missing was the mad cackle of Bellatrix Lestrange, her body laying prone mere two feet away from Molly Weasley.

The fighters of Light were struck dumb. What was to happen now? With the Chosen One dead... should they keep fighting? Was there anything to fight for still? Should the fall to their knees, lay down their wands and succumb to eternal darkness? Beg for their lives? Die fighting? She remembered wiping her wet face, straightening her back, wand at the ready.

Voldemort finally stopped contemplating the broken pieces of wood in the palm of his hand and raised his snake-like face to the crowd. Then Neville... brave, wonderful, stupid Neville stepped forward again. Only this time there was no illusion as to which side he was committed to.

He fired a spell at the Dark Lord only to have it batted away like a particularly insistent, annoying fly and just like that the fighting picked up again. The sound of a hundred spells being cast at once resounded like an explosion. What followed were screams of pain.

Her body moved almost on its own accord, casting and deflecting, blocking and attacking. It was anger and hurt, and pain, and desperation fuelling her power, allowing it to reach new heights. Hermione couldn't help, but look back to catch the sight of the main event.

By the third time Lord Voldemort deigned to lift up his wand, the Longbottom Heir was gone, his body empty and lifeless next to the Chosen One's.

It occurred to her that they had no one. No one was truly strong enough to defeat this monster. Bodies would pile up under his feet until there was no one left to offer resistance. Steeling her nerves, she fought on.

She took down Rookwood with a Blasting Curse, deliberately missing as to avoid hitting him directly. He was alive, but certainly out of commission for the time being. Unfortunately the confrontation didn't end without her paying the price as well. There was an odd ringing in her left ear, leaving her partially deaf thanks to a nearby blast. Additionally, one of Rookwood's spells hit her on the shoulder and blood was quickly seeping through her blouse, but she had no time to pay it any mind.

Forcing herself to ignore the stinging pain, she moved on. Only one thought kept her going forward, choking down the bile that rose up in her throat when the scent of charred flesh hit her nostrils. _Ginny and Ron_. She desperately needed to get to them, protect them.

Halfway there another dark shape crossed her path, but this one did her the dubious curtesy of removing his mask before trying to kill her. Of course it was him. She had a feeling that he would try to find her and finish the job. Forcing herself to ignore the phantom pains left behind after their last encounter she braced herself and cast the first spell. The fight went by in a blur. Years later she could only recall how it ended...

Kingsley, pushed her out of the way of a green light, taking a protective stance in front of her to face Antonin Dolohov himself.

Kings didn't even turn back to look at her, he was already focused on the enemy. " _Go"_ , he told her, " _find Ron_."

Hermione could feel Dolohov's eyes trailing behind her as she sped away. Briefly catching the sight of Dean Thomas, she learned what happened to a human body when hit by the Reductor Curse. Just as she reached Ginny the person next to her hit the floor. It was Professor Sprout, light leaving her eyes after a short burst of green.

Hermione looked up, shocked and revolted upon finding the terrified face of Gregory Goyle. He looked ready to retch, his wand hand shaking even as he extended it towards his ex-classmate. She pushed Ginny behind her, just like Kingsley did for her moments before.

The redhead was still very obviously in shock, struggling with the reality sinking in. She was trembling, her wand clutched tight in her limp hand. Goyle went down after a well-aimed Stunner. Disarming him, she deftly caught his wand in her hands and broke it. At least if someone cared to revive him, he wouldn't be able to cause much trouble.

She looked around to see Ron and George battling hand-in-hand against Mulciber, holding up well under the barrage of spells he produced. Turning to check on Kingsley caused the wave of nausea to hit her again. He was dead.

In fact, the whole battlefield was strewn with corpses, either ripped to pieces or tragically peaceful. The stench of blood, burnt skin and excrement made her dizzy. Unfortunately she had no time to throw herself a pity party, because the situation was worse still. Antonin Dolohov was headed her way, a feral grin on his face.

His progress was halted by Charlie Weasley and she swallowed thickly, already knowing how this fight would end. Never has Hermione seen someone as deviously proficient with a wand as Dolohov. Save for Dumbledore and the man observing the ongoing battle with snake-like eyes.

She grabbed Ginny by the shoulders and shook her roughly, begging to her to get a grip. The redhead nodded frantically and finally raised her wand arm, ready to aid her older brother. Just as Dolohov's bright, turquoise spell was absorbed be Charlie's shield, a voice boomed through the battlefield and it wasn't the one she would ever expect.

"Reminiscing?"

Hermione flinched violently upon hearing a voice suddenly sounding right next to her. She never regained hearing in that damn ear and it was embarrassingly easy to sneak up on her. A contrite looking brunette, her cheeks slightly pink from rushing, gave her an insistent look.

"It will be ten years tomorrow. No one would blame you for feeling a little bit sentimental."

Her laughter was bitter even to her own ears.

"Sentimental is the last thing I am, Katie."

"I know." the girl acquiesced quietly, knowing there was no use arguing with her when she was in that mood.

A moment of companionable silence passed between them. Hermione looked away again, watching as the waves crashed unbridled against the riverbank. The tide surged again. She struggled to keep her admiration levels, even observing the forces of nature in their most primitive force. These days not much could truly move her.

With a sigh she turned back towards the Seashell as the beautiful house was playfully being called. After the Battle Bill and Fleur stayed in the Resistance for only seven months before settling in France. She didn't blame them though, at least not like she did the others. Shell Cottage was compromised anyway after some of the Resistance members defected to Voldemort's side.

It made it that much easier for the young couple to make the decision to escape the horrors of words and seek refuge with Fleur's family. At this point she was five months into her first pregnancy and she couldn't very well fight Death Eaters with Victoire periodically kicking her in the kidneys.

They settled near the sea again, thus the name Seashell. As far as she knew Shell Cottage was presently burned down to the ground, but no one was stupid enough to go and check. They learned their lesson after Grimmuald. At least Justin Finch-Fletchely did.

She heard Katie trudging through the sand behind her. They entered the house and found themselves in a cosy, bright living space, littered with toys and vast evidence of a child's presence. Well, children. Maybe not by Weasley standards, but fortunately Fleur had the sense to halt the little brood at three. Victoire, Dominique and Louis were plenty enough on their own.

The lively bunch provided quite the shock to Hermione, who felt displaced and stifled among “normal” people. She was used to sadness and gloom, and loss, to hiding, starving and fighting for her life. She didn't fit into it anymore. Katie did. She took to it like a fish to water, hence the reason they were here.

She could still... go back. Be normal. Live.

"Ah, there you are. Fleur is finishing up lunch. Would you mind giving her a hand?"

Bill's smile was kind as ever, but even his eyes couldn't evade the sadness lurking within. He may not have been there working with the Resistance in person, but that doesn't mean the war spared him any pain. She couldn't imagine how it must feel to be the last Weasley. Probably similar to being the last Granger, but seven times worse. Yes, her parents were dead. She checked. If her Death Eater contact was correct it was Avery who did the deed, not that it mattered. It could've been far worse. She could've had six dead siblings to boot.

"Sure. Right on it." Katie gave him a pretty smile in return, sharing a parting look with Hermione before walking off towards the kitchen.

They both knew Bill only asked so he could get rid of her and have a moment alone with Hermione. He's been circling her for the past two days, waiting to approach her.

Ten years as the Undesirable Number One forced her to learn about reading people. First their facial expressions and body language, then finally their thoughts. Learning to manipulate them was the final step to shedding her bookworm persona. Not that she had to use Legilimency right now. Bill's thoughts were written plainly on his face.

As soon as Katie was gone he gestured for her to step outside again. She did so, not without hesitation. Bill closed the door behind them and, by some unspoken agreement, they sat down on the steps. She allowed him to gather his thoughts in silence, staring blankly at the sea.

"You know, we could help you get a new identity too." he offered after a few undisturbed minutes of quiet. "You could even settle in the Muggle world if you wanted to, since you're Muggleborn."

"You know I can't do that."

Her voice was level and impersonal by design. They've had this conversation already, but Bill was stubborn. He didn't want to let go of the last person who reminded him of what it was like before the war.

"You could stay here in France, be close to your family."

"We weren't married." she pointed out, knowing full well what he meant. Bill was undeterred by her clipped tone.

"Still. You were as good as. Fleur and I would love to have you around, the kids adore you..."

That was an over-exaggeration so profound it caused her to lift an eyebrow. It was the second time in their lives that his kids saw her at all and she spent most of it as far away from them as possible. She wasn't exactly what you'd call a doting Auntie. Bill ploughed through.

"Being alone won't make it better, any of it. You need someone to-"

"Are we done here?"

She levelled him with a cold, hard look, causing him to purse his lips in displeasure. He was the first to look away. Her round, brown eyes moved past him and went back to focusing on the large body of water.

Hermione was thoroughly bored by it about an hour ago, but the dullness of it made it easier to drown in her own thoughts and detach herself from the real world. She heard Bill heave a deep sigh beside her. In that short amount of time she already managed to forget about his presence, so his resigned voice jolted her into attention.

"You're not coming back, are you?"

The mild surprise she felt was immediately quashed. She should've known that Bill would catch on. His brother would always tell her how brilliant Bill was. Head Boy and all. Not that it required some otherworldly perceptiveness to figure out she was done. Everyone else either escaped, defected or died. There was no Resistance anymore. A decade after the Battle she was forced to finally admit defeat. Who would continue in such circumstances?

Bill understood that. Katie did too. She never asked about it, but she didn't have to either. They knew each other too well. Only she would never ask her to stay. She already knew what the answer would be. At this point Hermione didn't think there was any reason to pussyfoot around it.

"No."

The silence grew even heavier after that.

"My brother..." his voice faltered, forcing him to take a deep breath. "He loved you so much, Hermione. He..."

"Don't." she snapped, her voice ice cold, as she brutally slammed down her Occlumency shields, turning her face into an impenetrable mask of indifference. If the sudden chill startled him, it didn't show on his face. Perhaps he was used to it.

"He would've wanted you to remember that." Bill finished quietly, not daring to say anything else.

If he had to be honest with himself, he was somewhat relieved she wouldn't hear about it. He wasn't sure he had enough strength in him to say it anyway. The death of his brother broke both of them in different ways. He was the last to go for him and for her, the most important.

 _What he wanted didn't keep him alive_ , _he would've wanted not to be dead_ , she wanted to say, but had enough humanity left inside her not to speak such cruel words out loud, if only just enough of it. Not to his brother, at least.

As the silence dragged on Hermione loosened the iron grip she had on her Occlumency shields and allowed her body to relax, no longer taut to the point of straining, like a bowstring.

"When will you be leaving?"

"Tonight."

Bill hesitated, then nodded.

"Do you need money for the road?"

"No, just food if it's not any trouble."

"Not at all. For how long?"

His voice shook slightly with nerves. Hermione took the question for what it was. _How long are you planning to stay alive?_

"A day at most."

She didn't look at him when she said it. A sharp intake of breath was all the response she needed, almost more than she could take. She didn't need to see the devastation on his face, nor the pain in his eyes. Those eyes... they were almost the same in colour. Only slightly darker. His were the same bright brown that Ginny's were, but the hair... the hair was the exact same shade of fiery red. It was painful to look at him. Bill knew that.

He didn't question why it took her three years to visit after his brother's death. She expected some sort of response to the news, but didn't blame him when it turned out he was unable to give it.

Bill slowly leaned down and kissed the top of her head. The girl who he treated like his younger sister, the girl who he wanted more than anything to be his sister-in-law, the girl who he knew... was going to be gone mere two days from now.

He didn't bother to hide the tears on his face, letting them flow freely and without shame. He turned to walk back into the house and just as his hand was on the doorknob...

"I loved him too."

Her voice was so soft he could convince himself that he imagined it, merely a whisper carried by the wind. He bowed his head before her and went back to his family.

* * *

May 2nd 2008

Sneaking out in the dead of night made her feel like a thief. Not that the feeling was a foreign one. That feeling of discomfort was probably caused by the residues of her life as the prim and preachy Golden Girl.

As she walked by the coast, Hermione briefly turned back and saw a dark figure standing in the window. She raised her hand, bidding her last farewell to Bill. She already said her goodbyes with Fleur and Katie. The Frenchwoman hugged her wordlessly before going to bad, a sad, watery look in her eyes. Her husband must've share with her what was going to happen or at the very least some of it.

Katie was a whole different matter. They said goodbye the only way they knew how. Bickering like an old married couple.

After the traumatic experience with the cursed necklace, Katie enrolled in an intensive healing course to aid in the war. She barely finished her studies and obtained her Healer Certifications before The Battle happened.

For her it was a calling, not a means to survival. Hermione only learned so she could help patch up the many injured that turned up in the Resistance. She didn't know much of the theory since there was no way for her to learn, but she was as good as a person could get in those dire circumstances.

Her methods were a bit crude, but short of the Killing Curse and given enough time, she could keep her fellow fighters alive even in the face of truly horrifying injuries. That didn't stop Katie from pestering her relentlessly about any technical or theoretical shortcomings she could spot.

In the end it was war that curbed her know-it-all tendencies. After watching her friends perish in the war effort, Hermione came to accept that she didn't know anything. Not really.

For her, for all of them, to think that a group of teenagers could stand against an army of seasoned fighters with nothing to lose, aided by a legion of monsters and dark creatures, was in fact the height of stupidity. To put all of their faith in one boy, an orphan with a hero complex, to defeat the most powerful wizard in existence since Merlin himself.

All because Dumbledore spent years pulling wool over their eyes, making them think they were special when in reality they were being led by their noses every step of the way. Stupid luck was all that they had and when that ran out it was over in less than ten minutes. That's how long it took for the Boy-Who-Lived to become the Boy-Who-Died.

Hermione shook herself out of the dark thoughts. _It's the date_ , she reminded herself, _don't let it get to you_.

The truth is, it got to her not only every year, but every day. Today it was going to be different. Today would be endgame.

After she was sufficiently chastised and pestered by her best friend, they shared a quick hug and left to their respective beds. Hermione left her beloved, beaded bag with Katie, knowing that if the enemy got their hands on it, it could prove disastrous. Instead she used a simple, Extendable Charm on the pockets of her thick, wool cloak. Just big enough to fit her wand, a single scroll of parchment and the food provided by Bill and Fleur.

She wanted to leave them something personal as thanks, but didn't have much. Only Ron's deluminator and the photos she managed to keep hold of from the Hogwarts era of The Golden Trio.

A wave of Magic gently washed over her body when she crossed the border of Bill's protective wards. She Apparated quickly, eager to put as much space between herself and the Weasleys as possible. There was no need to endanger them any further and if she lingered, leaving might become even more difficult.

She appeared deep in a forest up North and raised her hand palm up, casting a Tempus Charm. Three digits hovered over her palm. 1.55. Perfect. She moved forward at a leisurely pace, a grim sort of relief taking over.

Those three days spent with the Weasleys were a painful reminder of what could've been. That's what they dreamed of during those cold nights on the run. They would lay in each other's arms, wrapped around each other too tightly for it to be comfortable, bodies slowly cooling after making love, talking about the life they wanted together.

She could easily picture herself in Fleur's place, if with a few important tweaks. Instead of the three kids there would be a dog for him, a cat for her and hopefully no dragons in the vicinity. In place of Bill, of course, there would be the love of her life.

Alone, deep inside a forest in Northern France she could let go of her iron-clad control and liberate the whirlwind of emotions that she smothered at the Seashell. All the love and regret, the pain and grief, the loss and the desperate yearning for his presence.

For those bright, brown eyes, the hundred freckles on his face, his strong, protective arms, muscular chest that she used to lay her head on. Most importantly those hands, full of callouses and blisters and old remnants of burns from years of dragon wrangling, so quintessentially Charlie.

Even the sound of his name in the privacy of her mind caused a sob to wrench out of her chest. You'd think that three years would be enough for the pain to subside, to become bearable.

Not by a longshot.

If she closed her eyes she could still remember his scent, pinewood and smoke with a hint of something dark and musky. Hermione had no doubt in her mind that this would be the improved and refined scent of Amortentia, if she had a chance to smell it.

Allowing the familiar, beloved scent to fill her memory she extended her hand and when she opened her eyes a powerful, silver dragon burst forth from her fingertips. Emotions welled in her chest. Even if pressed she wouldn't be able to pinpoint when exactly her Patronus had changed, but after it did... there was no turning back for them.

She watched the dragon fly away, swooping between the tree line, looking for its target. The response came about two minutes later. A beautiful, silvery ram glided towards her and lowered its horned head, inviting her to follow.

The trek through the forest took no more than twenty minutes. When she reached the rendezvous point, she was slightly out of breath, but pleased enough. Her Death Eater contact looked ready to go.

His grey eyes scanned over her figure, looking for any obvious signs of injury. When he reassured himself, that trademark smirk played on his pale lips.

"That Patronus isn't exactly inconspicuous, you know. Should've fallen in love with the Weasel."

"Oh really? You're lucky to have Astoria. Need I remind you that you still would've been burdened with that ferret, if it wasn't for her?"

He grimaced at her quip. Oh yes, Malfoy took their ferret jokes to heart. There was no end to the verbal abuse when his ferret Patronus first showed up at the Headquarters. He must've been relieved when he got rid of the furry menace after Astoria gave birth to their son.

She couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips and soon he returned it with a grin of his own. They embraced tightly, holding on for a few seconds before parting.

"How are they, Draco?" she asked, watching as the grin softened into a gentle smile, his face brightening at the mention of his family.

"Good. Tori is fit to burst with the little one. The Mediwitch tells us it will be any day now. Scorpius is driving his Governess crazy with that toy broomstick he got for Christmas."

"And Lucius?"

Draco's smile lost some of its brightness.

"Same as always. We finally got him to stop drinking himself into a stupor before dinner. Only because Scorpius insists on bothering him when he stays in his office for too long. He loves the little guy, can't wait for his granddaughter."

"He loves you too." she corrected gently, though it was largely pointless. Draco has long since come to terms with the rift separating him from his father.

Normally she wouldn't inquire for the well-being of his fellow Death Eaters, but Lucius was a special case. Not only was Draco one of her best friends and allies for the past ten years, but also she couldn't help but feel a bit of pity for what became of the elder Malfoy.

Voldemort didn't forget Narcissa's transgression, her lie cost her everything.

After the battle her husband and son were forced to continuously cast the Cruciatus Curse on Narcissa for over seven hours, while being under their Master's Imperius Curse. They were released only after Lady Malfoy lost her mind to the torture and were given a choice, kill her or follow her into death. Lucius took on the burden to spare his son and killed his wife with the Killing Curse.

Unfortunately that didn't save their family.

Malfoys were disgraced in the eyes of Voldemort. Lucius turned to alcohol to drown out the pain of losing Narcissa, effectively abandoning his son to fend for himself under the new regime. The chasm between father and son grew bigger and bigger, by now there wasn't much left. The only thing keeping Lucius from drinking himself into an early grave was his grandson and they were all hoping his incoming granddaughter would be able to do the same very soon.

It took four months of living under the new regime for Draco to break and reach out to the Resistance, or more specifically, to Hermione.

When she told the others of his message, the others were vehemently against it. She was flat out forbidden from contacting him, so naturally, she sneaked out at dawn to do just that.

Charlie caught her, she remembered fondly. He offered an ultimatum. Either she'd take him along or he'd put the whole Resistance on their feet and chain her to the table.

He laughed cheekily when she tried to knock him out with a Stunner and then followed the grumbling girl to the agreed upon meeting place. Maybe it was foolish to trust a “baby Death Eater” as Ron called him, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she needed to do this. She remembered the torment in Malfoy's eyes during their 6th year at Hogwarts, how he started withering away right in front of their eyes, missing meals, disappearing to stand atop the Astronomy Tower. Most importantly, there was now forgetting how he lied to Bellatrix Lestrange when they were held at the Manor.

There was no way to forget anything that happened that day.

Draco knew it was Harry, but he stalled long enough for his crazy Aunt to catch sight of the sort and forget about the Chosen One for the time being. If he didn't, she would've called her Master and it would've meant their end. As it was, Hermione herself had to pay for their subsequent survival, but for that she couldn't very well blame a terrified, teenage boy now could she?

In the end Draco became the best asset the Resistance had at its disposal. He never met with anyone other than her and Charlie, there was no one else he could trust. The one time Ron caught sight of him it very nearly ended in a brawl.

There was lots of trial and error on both their parts, it was difficult to trust someone you hated for the past seven years. After they got a good feeling of each other, they inadvertently grew closer, confiding with each other the hardships of being with their respective sides of the conflict.

Two years ago it was her, who released him from his duties to the Resistance. His son was almost three, he was trying for a second child with his wife. Not to mention that Astoria was beginning to resent him for putting himself in danger even though he was now a father and their marriage suffered constant strain because of it. Hermione could no longer endanger her friend and his family in good conscience, knowing that their war effort was reaching its inevitable end.

The Resistance was in shambles, less than ten people managed to survive up to this point. It was a miracle Draco managed to survive as a spy for almost eight years without getting caught. Apparently he picked up a thing or two from his Godfather. Not the least of which was Occlumency, which he helped her learn, passing on some of Severus' techniques. If Hermione knew she was a natural Occlumens all those years ago, she would've learned from Snape first and then taught it to Harry. It became one of the thousand what-if's that troubled her for years past.

Either way, when it was no longer wise for Draco to push his luck, she gave him her blessing to abandon their lost cause on focus on taking care of his family. He accepted the offer with both great relief and sadness. It was the end of an era for both of them.

They stayed in contact for the following two years, occasionally checking up on each other. Today she was calling in her last favour.

"Do you have it?"

Instead of answering her inquiry Draco produced an antique-looking pocket watch. Her eyes went alight with mirth.

"Of course. A Malfoy wouldn't be caught dead with a beer can or a smelly old boot." she teased, haughtily raising her nose into the air.

"Don't even try it, Granger. You have to be born with the Malfoy superiority."

His grey eyes were shimmering with laughter. She missed this, their banter never failed to lift her spirits.

"How long?"

He cast the Tempus Charm and it showed 2.34.

"The Portkey activates at 3 o'clock. We'll arrive in Scotland by 3.05 and from there you can Apparate wherever you want."

She ignored the calculating look in his eye. He's been hoping she would let something slip.

"Thanks." she just said, then heard the Malfoy heir mumble something under his breath, very obviously annoyed.

Hermione barely contained a smile. Even after all these years, there was still some of that spoilt Slytherin Prince left in Draco. That part of him would forever expect to get whatever he wanted with the snap of his dainty, Pureblood fingers. She wouldn't mock him too much since he was here to help after all.

With the Ministry fully in control of Voldemort and his goons it was no trivial thing to get an international Portkey. Draco told a fib about bringing a French Mediwitch for Astoria's upcoming delivery. It would be easier to obtain an illegal Portkey, but keeping that under wraps could prove an even bigger headache. Such Portkeys were too easily traced these days. International Apparition was all but impossible, although there were rumours that Voldemort may have found a way around that. She didn't put much stock into it. The propaganda machine was in full swing and the regime propped up even the most fantastical stories, fawning all over the dear leader like the sycophants that they were.

The next twenty minutes were spent in companionable silence, the two friends relishing each other's presence for as long as they could. When the time was right they linked hands and grabbed the fancy Portkey. A sharp hook attached somewhere behind her navel and yanked her through space.

When they landed on their feet they both doubled over. Hermione was busy coughing out her lungs and had no time to mollycoddle Malfoy, who was ready to puke any second now. When they came to, she was paler than Draco usually was and he, ironically enough, turned a sickly shade of putrid green.

"Don't let looks deceive you." she grumbled, immediately worse for wear after the brutal journey. Draco responded with a scowl of his own.

"I'd rather take the smelly old boot than do that again."

Hermione grabbed the water bottle she got from the Seashell and took a large gulp before sharing it with Malfoy, who snatched it out of her hand greedily.

"Say the magic word." she chastised him jokingly. Malfoy stopped sucking on the bottle and breathed out heavily.

"Mudblood."

"Brat."

They shared a dark look, then suddenly burst out laughing. Hermione grabbed herself by the stomach, fighting the chuckles. Let's just say the word has long lost its bombastic impact. It's been a long time since such petty things held power over the two of them. They weren't kids anymore.

When the laughter subsided and they calmed down, Hermione took a moment to take in their surroundings. They were a good distance away from Hogsmead, just the way she planned it. It would take her about an hour to reach the outskirts of the town and probably at least an hour more to sneak inside.

Voldemort made Hogwarts his new stronghold, effectively turning Hogsmead into the best guarded town on the Isles. Day and night it was crawling with Death Eaters, many of them permanent residents of the town. If anyone spotted her, she'd be swarmed by the enemy within minutes so once she crossed the anti-Disapparition wards, it was essentially over.

Not that she would tell all that to Malfoy, he'd never let her go there if he knew.

She turned to him now, taking in the sombre expression and the serious look in his eye. Hermione sighed before picking up the scroll from her pocket. The ancient manuscript started pulsating with Dark Magic immediately after her fingers brushed against the parchment. She held it out to Malfoy, who hesitated for a long moment, but took it in the end, shoving it into his robe pockets with visible disdain.

"I hate that fucking thing."

Hermione only nodded.

"Make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

Draco's grey eyes focused on her face. Never did she see such a grave look in his eye.

"It already did. If I knew what it was I never would've given you that monstrosity."

A small, bitter smile played on her lips.

"Then it's a good thing you're shit at ancient runes, isn't it?"

The comment failed to amuse him, his scowl only deepened.

When Draco first offered to join the Resistance the leadership insisted on putting him through his paces. They were furious when they found out she sneaked out to meet him and took it out on Draco himself. It took three months of constant, dangerous tasks to finally placate them, but they had a lot to show for it. The cherry on top was Draco's trip to Grimmuald Place.

The Resistance knew it was compromised, but a few youngers members foolishly went there anyway. Death Eaters erected specialized wards on the building, alerting them the moment anyone stepped foot at the used-to-be Headquarters. Ron, Seamus and Parvati escaped. Justin didn't have such lack. After that the leadership decided to use this disaster to their advantage. They sent in Malfoy to scour the place and bring back anything that he deemed useful. At first Hermione thought it a fool's errand. Harry, Ron and her searched the place up and down and took everything that was worth a dime. What they didn't count on however were the Pureblood laws of inheritance.

With Harry's death the ownership of all House Black assets went to Draco as a direct descendant of the House through his mother Narcissa Malfoy (née Black). Bellatrix was dead and her other sister Andromeda formally disinherited. Draco was granted ownership of not only the house and the vaults, but also Kreacher. The mangy creature was thrilled to serve “ _Young Master Draco, Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House Black_ ” and hurried to share the secrets of Grimmuald Place.

A House Elf couldn't lie to his Master, but Kreacher found a sneaky way around it and simply failed to shared important information with Sirius and Harry, whom he disliked for being so called “blood traitors”.

It turned out that there was a secret, magically warded drawer in the desk of Orion Black's office. Fortunately the blood wards keyed to the Black family line succumbed before Draco and he was able to bring back the contents. She specifically remembered Sirius talking about destroying every dark book from the Black library that he could find.

When she saw what Draco had brought back, she couldn't help but be glad that Sirius missed this.

Most of the contents had to be gotten rid of unfortunately. Cursed family heirlooms and dark artefacts of the sort that made your skin crawl. They were all destroyed and good riddance, if anyone asked her. Amid the bounty of horrors there were three books and seven ancient-looking scrolls. Those, she was allowed to keep.

She utilised her near-eidetic memory to fix the contents in her mind. At the time she balked at some of the spells and potions, but now she was glad to have them committed to memory.

They were nasty pieces of Magic, so powerful that only a few witches and wizards would have enough Magical power to perform them. Most of them were archaic to the point being completely forgotten, passed down to House Black Patriarchs from generation to generation. Some were written in Runes and thus required translation. It took her over a month to translate, study and memorize them fully. Some, she was able to translate only partially, having a severely limited access to runic lexicons and dead language dictionaries.

The only things she set down without touching was a brittle, old scroll that emanated Magic so dark it made her skin crawl. She was both scared to open it and severely tempted to find out what's inside. Determined to contain her inner know-it-all, Hermione put a plethora of protective charms on the brittle parchment and stuffed it into her beaded bag without reading. She couldn't bring herself to just destroy it and discard a singular source of knowledge about an obscure, potentially unknown piece of Magic.

It was years later that she was comfortable enough dabbling in the Dark Arts to translate it. Years more until she resigned herself to the idea of actually pursuing it.

Translating that single scroll took upwards of five weeks. She exhausted every single one of their contacts on the dark market along with the Black, Malfoy and Greengrass family libraries. The text was the most infuriating, convoluted combination of Ancient Runes with the Etruscan and Phoenician alphabets she has ever seen. The aura of the scroll was so dark that she was surprised to find how... pleasant the text itself read. The beautiful prose couldn't hide what it really was, though.

First chapters weaved a tale of powerful “Magic Wielders” taming the Elements and performing Magic akin to miracle work. Among them, there was a special group, the so-called “Soul Travelers”. They would enter into a ritual to “shed their earthly form” and “travel in spirit”, visiting other worlds, being “reborn” in an “alternative reality”. Here, the whole thing turned incredibly murky. The text described something that, in more modern terms, could be called “astral planes” or “other dimensions”.

There was talk of “Soul Travelers” beginning new lives, but the text was suspiciously scant in specifics. For example by what nebulous means was the soul supposed to separate from the body and how exactly does it travel to an alternative universe? What would happen to the physical body? Would it be left here on this plane, dead and soulless or would it perish? How exactly was this miraculous “rebirth” supposed to occur?

She couldn't help, but recall the Hindu traditions, beliefs about Karma and Reincarnation. What if her Soul travelled to a different world only for it to be reborn in a rabbit? Hermione has spent enough of her life living as prey to balk at the thought. The most worrisome part however, was the passage mentioning a “price” that wasn't named or further discussed.

She was imagining her Soul breaking into a million, Horcrux-like pieces or being irreparably damaged in transit. Then again, the “Soul Travelers” were apparently embarking on this journey many times over, being reborn time and time again, effectively making their Souls immortal. The “Soul Travelers” were said to be the wisest and most powerful “Magic Wielders”. Could she even perform such a spell? Five years ago she resolved to never use it. It was all too vague, too improbable and way too risky. No, she had too much to lose... and then she didn't.

Charlie died, the Resistance disbanded and suddenly Hermione was alone, and there was nothing left to lose. Suddenly what used to be the biggest risk, became the biggest impetus to perform the spell. Her lover's death was the catalyst, the subsequent deaths only serving as further incentives.

Katie only survived this long because she was a Healer and very rarely did she find herself on the front lines. Hermione was still alive because she was, at least she thought so, smart, ridiculously stubborn and disgustingly lucky. Well, she didn't know if surviving all of her friends and close ones could be called “lucky” in the traditional sense of the word, but still...

At this point if she died it wouldn't be a bad thing. She'd be relieved if it was finally over. Those ten years... she was simply tired. Too tired to fight, too tired to try... and so she succumbed to the exhaustion. It was time to move on. If there was a different world than this one then it couldn't be any worse. If there wasn't... well, at least she would finally get to rest.

 _Besides_ , she would laugh bitterly, _someone needed to try that damn spell, might as well be me_. There was no one else she would trust to do the job. If you want something done well, do it yourself.

The ritual was a brilliant as it was dangerous. Despite everything, she was still as enamoured by Magic as she was when she first received her letter from Hogwarts. Her hands were itching to try out a new spell.

"Is there something else?" she heard Draco say and couldn't help a slight twitch when her musings were interrupted yet again. The annoyed and covertly worried note in his voice let her know that he had to repeat himself a few times to get her attention. Hermione hesitated to answer.

"I'd like you to have this... if you want." she told him softly, showing him her wand. Draco's eyes widened. "It's not like I'll be needing it anyway. I didn't for years."

And it was true. Maybe two years after The Battle of Hogwarts Voldemort's cronies at the Ministry figured out how to put a Trace, that used to be kept on underage witches and wizards, on select adults or, more specifically, their wands. Thankfully Draco was there to warn them before the Trace went into effect or they would've lost plenty of good people before they figured it out. In fact, that was one of the things that solidified his position as an ally of the Resistance.

It was no longer possible to use wands, hence the intensive study of wandless Magic was a must in their ranks. Some took to it easier than others. Ginny was famously shit at it. It took lots of tutoring from both her and Charlie to get her to grasp even the basics.

It was a brilliant move on the part of Voldemort's regime, she had to admit. In one fail-safe swoop he weakened them tenfold. Wandless Magic took years to master. Some were never able to learn the more complicated spells. Hermione was lucky in that respect, she started practising in her spare time during her year on the run with Ron and Harry. When the hammer fell she already had a good grasp of the foundational elements of the art and was sufficiently adept at basic spells. Learning to cast a wandless Patronus however? Now THAT was one hell of a struggle.

"It belongs to your family anyway." Hermione reminded him. "I think I only kept it, because I'm a sentimental fool."

Draco shook his head.

"You know as well as I do that you're as far from a fool as one could be. I knew that even when I hated you." he said, causing her to smirk, earning herself an eyeroll. "I understand why you kept it. It was a good reminder of what you went through... what you survived."

Hermione tilted her head curiously. It was easy to mistake the man in front of her for the immature boy he used to be. She sometimes forgot how well he knew her. Good or bad it's been seventeen years for them. More than half of their lives. All of the time she has spent in the magical world. Draco was there from beginning to end.

As always, he saw right through her. The façade of nonchalance and indifference she had long ago perfected failed to fool him once again. He could easily see through tat mask as it was the same one he used to wear for years.

It was true. The wand was a memento. It meant survival, victory and perseverance. While Bellatrix was rotting, she was still here. However long that will last...

"Your Aunt was a right bitch." Hermione deadpanned.

"Yes she was." he agreed easily, taking the offered wand with a heavy sigh.

"A wand was the first thing I bought in Diagon Alley, you know." she smiled wistfully, her gaze still on the piece of wood. "Even though I haven't used a wand for the past eight years, I still feel naked without one."

Draco only nodded, sensing that their time was running out. He was silent for a long moment, then surprised her.

"We finally settled on a name. Narcissa Jean Malfoy."

Hermione laughed, for the first time in months a spontaneous, tinkering laugh. She wrapped her arms around her childhood nemesis and pressed her forehead against his neck. His arms surrounded her waist, squeezing tightly. Draco held his breath.

"Thank you..." he whispered, his voice heavy with emotion. "For everything... forgiving me, believing in me. For being the only real friend I've ever had."

She nodded, all of a sudden finding it difficult to speak. Hermione slipped out of his arms and allowed her eyes to say everything she couldn't. He failed to stop the tears from falling from his eyes. They were beautiful, like liquid silver. Draco exhaled shakily.

"I hope... Wherever you go... I hope he is there."

As the last word fell from his lips, he abruptly took a stepped back, turning on the spot and disappearing from her life... or the last hours of it. Hermione took a deep breath, allowing herself only a moment of grief for sharing her final goodbye. Then it was time to go.

* * *

She reached the outskirts of Hogsmead within the hour, but sneaking inside proved more difficult than she thought. She knew from Draco that patrols would switch at quarter after five Hermione couldn't stop herself from visiting Padfoot's cave. It was the perfect place to fuel up on some food and she appreciated the symmetry of the situation.

Her stomach was in knots, but she forced herself to chow down two, meat and cheese sandwiches. They tasted a bit like cardboard, but that wasn't any fault of Fleur. She was an excellent cook. No, it was the fault of her nerves. She wasted another fifteen minutes on satisfying her paranoia, revising every moment of the ritual in her mind. Before she knew it, 5 o'clock and she had fifteen minutes to get where she needed to be.

Hermione sneaked out of the cave and entered the woods. She stopped just short of the wards surrounding the village. She then crouched on the ground, touching the soil with the palms of her hands and closed her eyes. Reaching within herself she pulled on her spirit animal and felt Magic expand from her Core until it reached her toes and the very tips of her fingers.

Hermione opened her eyes and when she did, she was much closer to the ground, her body covered in soft, golden-brown fur with black spots. The keen, amber eyes of Hermione's Animagus form allowed her to see the ants hurrying between her paws. The scent of wet soil, wood and rain, so typical in a forest was only disturbed by two men, standing no less than ten feet away. The sudden cacophony of sounds was overwhelming to her sensitive ears. Her animal form was in perfect health, both ears alert and prickling to pick up on their quiet conversation. It was both nice and awkward to suddenly have perfect hearing.

Her human form was comparably defective. Death on one year, fucked up shoulder, scars all over her skin and a nasty, not yet fully healed, cut on the back of her right thigh, that was only properly dressed and careful because she literally lived with a Mediwitch. Hermione definitely had the skill to care for such a mundane injury herself, but couldn't seem to be bothered. Her beautiful Lynx had no such worries.

She padded forward, circling the two men from the left, then laid down between the bushes, watching and waiting for a suitable opportunity. It was moments like this that made her thankful for her Animagus form being fairly small and inconspicuously coloured. A dragon form would've made it a bit more difficult to sneak around. She'd never say it out loud, but Malfoy wasn't exactly wrong about it.

As it was, Hermione was smaller than the average Lynx and the spots on her fur provided suitable camouflage for occasions such as these.

When Minerva's retreat order resounded through the battlefield with the help of a Sonorus Charm, this wasn't what she had anticipated. Order members Disapparated on the spot. Hermione managed to grab Ginny and bring her to one of the first spots the Golden Trio had utilised as a hideout. Hermione barely had time to put up wards before Minerva's tabby cat Patronus tore through the trees, providing them with the coordinates of her family home in Scotland. Again, she took Ginny by Side-Along Apparition.

When they arrived, Professor McGonagall was waiting for them at the gate, her face grave, blood all over her robes. She let them in through her wards and waited for the rest of the survivors to arrive.

Within the next hour the Resistance was formed.

Some people looked to the surviving members of the Golden Trio for guidance, but Hermione quickly made it known that she wasn't willing to take on a leadership role.

Ron kept silent.

At last, the members unanimously designated Professor McGonagall as their chosen leader.

They created a list of those who passed. Ginny went from devastated to hysterical when Fred, Percy, Arthur and Molly were named consecutively. Her parents were killed by Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, who made it their mission to avenge Bellatrix.

The four remaining Weasleys all fell silent after that.

Therefore it was Hermione, who reported the deaths of Pomona Sprout, Dean Thomas and, to the horror of everyone present, Kingsley Shackelbot. The silence was finally interrupted by further reports. Luna mentioned Neville and Cho Chang. McGonagall told them about Professor Flitwick stepping in front of her to absorb the Killing Curse from Walden McNair. Next they heard about Lavender being mauled by Fenrir Greyback, as reported by Bill and Fleur. Hannah Abbott recounted the deaths of Remus Lupin and his wife Nymphadora. The Patil Twins told them about Hestia Jones and Sturgis Podmore and that list barely even scratched the surface.

No one mentioned Harry. It didn't have to be said.

Hermione never experienced such a horrible thing before, to sit there covered in blood, recounting the dead. Poppy Pomfrey died by Avery's hands so it was Katie Bell that went around the room, healing their most serious injuries first. Professor McGonagall took to transfiguring small objects into sleeping bags. Bill took Hermione check the wards on the property. As a curse-breaker he was uniquely qualified to do so.

He spoke about the wards somewhat mechanically, still numb from the many deaths in his family. She listened, but barely heard any of it. Reality was only beginning to sink in. There was no adrenaline left to keep her going. She realised they stood there for ten minutes, just staring, before Charlie came to collect them.

Hermione thanked him for stepping in between her and Dolohov, but was too drained to put enough gratitude in her voice. He nodded emptily, but said nothing. When they came back inside there was a space prepared for them to rest.

She remembered laying there, staring at the ceiling of her Professor's sitting room, the hollow feeling in her chest slowly being filled by horrible, gut-wrenching grief. Eventually Katie came by to look at her shoulder. She stopped the bleeding and moved on to tend to the others. At some point it was all too much to handle. Hermione summoned some Dreamless Sleep from her beaded back and surrendered to blissful darkness.

It took some weeks for the Resistance to truly pick up. The time to mourn was over and there was work to be done. Hermione took to having early morning tea with her Professor.

The Resistance was hesitant to put the remnants of the Golden Trio on the front lines. She understood it to some degree. It would be a huge hit to their morale. Surprisingly, Ron wasn't raging about it. He spent his days with George, training furiously. Hermione however, was still treated like the brains of the group and not necessarily the wand.

She struggled not to fall into complete apathy, sitting in the garden for hours on end, often from dawn to dusk. Everyone had their own troubles to deal with. Minerva McGonagall understood her plight, she too was tired of being treated like a fragile piece of china, in her case because of her age. She knew that her brightest student needed something to pass her time, to challenge herself with. So she suggested for Katie to train her as a second Healer for the Resistance and when that didn't prove sufficient, she bullied Hermione into doing her Animagus meditations.

The joke was on her.

Minerva was both flummoxed and proud when Hermione completed her Animagus training in record time. From then on it wasn't Hermione that sat around in the garden, it was a little Lynx prowling about in the nearby woods. During her training Hermione developed a close relationship with Minerva. She considered herself her student and Apprentice, they also bonded in their feline forms.

That was until Minerva died, struck by a dark curse during a skirmish with the Snatchers.

It took death a full month to claim her. It was a slow and painful death, which Hermione spent at her bedside. Nobody questioned why a Lynx would curl itself at the foot of her sickbed. It was just two years after the formation of the Resistance.

Bill and Fleur were long gone and so was Susan Bones. George had gotten himself killed by charging into a group of Death Eaters, after spotting the one responsible for killing his parents. By this time Ron had already found his way to her bed in search of comfort. If her memory served, at this time, Charlie was being regularly entertained by Alicia Spinnet and Parvati Patil. Then again, Parvati entertained just about every young man in the Order. Only Bill and George escaped her clutches and that's because they were both gone by the time she spiralled out of control.

Hermione shook her furry head. As the hour of the Battle neared it was increasingly difficult to hold off the influx of memories.

Her soft, padded paws allowed her to travel nearly soundlessly, making it easy to circumvent the patrolling guards. She felt the Magic of the wards surrounding the village as she crossed them.

One of the greatest benefits of putting in all that time and effort into becoming and Animagus was the element surprise. There were so few witches and wizards willing to do all that work, that most of the time no one bothered to put up Anti-Animagus wards. Sirius would know. Hermione was happy to see that hasn't changed under the knew regime. If she was forced to mess with the wards around Hogsmead, it would probably turn really mess really quickly. At the very least hey would be alerted that something's amiss and start looking for her. Knowing how stubborn the Death Eaters could be, they wouldn't stop until they found her either.

She padded stealthily through the woods, eventually moving past the village and into the Forbidden Forest. It wasn't what it used to be, fortunately for her. Most creatures, including the herd of Centaurs moved out since it wasn't safe for them to stay any longer. There were rumours of werewolves moving in to take their place, but Draco assured her that they were just rumours with not truth to them whatsoever. Well, save for Greyback visiting his Master at Hogwarts from time to time.

It spoke to the amount of trust she had in Draco, that she even went into a sniffing distance of the place that was rumoured to be inhabited by a pack of werewolves. Ferret better be right about this one.

She reached the centre of the Forbidden Forest just at the break of dawn.

Hermione threw up a Silencing Spell, then stripped naked and discarded her clothes under a nearby tree. A quick Warming Charm was enough to combat the morning chill. She placed her fingers firmly into the damp soil, closed her eyes and loosened her body.

The beginning phase of the ritual included entering into a near-meditative state of relaxation. She had to completely clear her mind and in order to “return her physical form to nature”. After completing her Animagus meditations, that seemed like the easy part. It took her twenty minutes to achieve the desired state of mind. Hermione took a deep breath before summoning the strings of Magic that she felt nearby.

There was good reason why she was risking capture, placing herself within arm's reach of Voldemort himself. The Forbidden Forest was as near as she could safely get to the battlefield.

Upon death, Magic is released into the atmosphere. Small amounts of it integrate easily and seamlessly into the environment. It's a perfect sort of life cycle that magical folk draw Magic from nature throughout their lives, only to return it upon their death. Dozens of wizards, witches and Magical Creatures perishing in the same place in a small amount of time caused a permanent rift in the structural integrity of Magic circling through the surrounding area. She was able to extract it, hold on to it and draw on it for a short amount of time.

Unbeknownst to Hermione, tears circled in her eyes. It was almost as if she could feel their Magical Signatures. Harry, Neville, Kingsley... all of them. She could tell herself that it was simply her imagination, that she was drunk on all that powerful Magic, but she couldn't deny herself that one thing. She wanted... no, she needed to believe they supported her in this. A feeling of elation caused her head to buzz, a pleasant shiver running down the length of her spine.

The scroll demanded that she “surrender herself to Magic”. Again, the details were scant, but Hermione was pretty sure she knew what it meant.

Exercising careful, measured control she relaxed her Magical Core and allowed small amounts of Magic to leak through the cracks, slowly expanding inside her body. It was a painfully slow, exhaustive process, but she wasn't about to rush it. An uncontrolled burst could cause an episode of Accidental Magic at the very least. At its worst, it could rip a whole through her body. Years ago she heard about an exploding skull and, needles to say, the image stuck with her to this very day.

An hour later her body was brimming with barely constrained energy. She felt fit to burst, even her hair crackled with Magic. It was almost unbearable. So much Magic had to be impossible to control.

Hermione steeled herself, ignoring how much she was shaking, she started chanting before she lost her nerve.

The chant was beautiful, melodious and haunting at the same time. After the seventh repetition she quieted and opened her eyes. An eerie silence fell over the forest and then... there was and explosion of pain.

A burning agony filling every nerve and muscle, every inch of skin. A searing, infernal flame consuming her from the inside. It was like Bellatrix's Cruciatus, only a hundred times worse. At least under the Torture Curse she was able to pass out from time to time. Here, there was no such mercy. Absolute, unimaginable torment caused howls of anguish to spill from her lips. She wailed and screeched, screamed and cried, but was unable to form the words necessary to plead for mercy. Her senses were overwhelmed, the sensory overload too much to comprehend as if the pain caused her brain to cease all processes. The scent and taste of copper barely registered. Her nose started bleeding first, then her ears, eyes and finally her mouth. An absolute red hot, scorching fire exploded in her cranium, like her brain was starting to melt inside her skull. A sharp, yanking feeling at her Magical Core turned into a torturous blaze and just as suddenly as it began, everything went dark.

* * *

In the early morning hours of May 2nd 2008, exactly ten years after the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione Granger ceased to exist.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo, how did that go?  
> If you can, let me know your first impressions. I'd love to get some feedback :)
> 
> My ending notes will always be more informal and a tool to communicate directly with my readers. That said, I think there are a few important things to point out.  
> 1\. This is my first attempt at a fanfic. Please, have some patience while I figure this thing out.  
> 2\. English is not my first language. There might be some errors so don't be afraid to point them out to me, I'd be happy to correct them.  
> 3\. I'm doing this thing by myself. There's no one to proof read it for me, so take that into consideration.  
> 4\. Uploads probably won't be regular, I'll have to focus on my thesis in the upcoming months and that will be my primary focus.
> 
> That would be all for now. Thank you for giving this story a chance and I hope to see you here again. Bye!


	2. Chapter 2

December 10th 1958

A bright light shone unpleasantly into her eyes, making her tear up. She dropped her eyelids and took a breath, that came unusually shallow. There was that distinct scent of blood nearby and a slight buzzing in her head.

“Why is she so quiet?” a hoarse, weak voice of a woman asked from some distance away.

Hermione opened her eyes and started blinking to adjust to the bright lights. The ceiling was also stark white which didn't help things along.

“She cried out already and she's breathing just fine. You need to calm down, my Lady, you've lost a lot of blood.”

This voice was female too, but definitely not as soft the first one. It was stern and no-nonsense in a way that curiously reminded her of Madam Pomfrey.

Hermione's eyes finally adjusted to the light and she took in her surroundings. Very clearly a hospital. Everything was pure white and there was a clean, lemony smell accompanied by a whiff of antiseptic. Then she looked down and she could swear that for a moment her heart literally stopped.

Her body was red, tiny and covered in mucus. She was an INFANT! Her breathing turned ragged and something beeped close by. A sudden chilliness washed over her ridiculously tiny body.

“Something's wrong!” the same tired voice insisted, this time surprisingly strongly.

Hermione heard some bustling and suddenly a young girl in a nurse's uniform appeared in her line of vision, waving a wand over her body. They locked eyes and the nurse gave Hermione a quizzical look, then cast what she recognized as a Warming Charm.

“She's fine, my Lady. Just a bit cold.” the nurse pacified, looking over her shoulder, then threw Hermione another look of puzzlement.

Then, to Hermione's utter horror, she was picked up and carried over to a bowl of water where the nurse started washing her little body with a wet cloth. Hermione stayed stiff and motionless, watching the nurse in complete stupor.

 _Holy fucking shit_.

When the scroll spoke about “rebirth”, it didn't mean so in any spiritual sense. Her eyes started burning with tears.

_An infant. A fucking infant! Shit! Shit! Shit!_

What the hell was she supposed to do now?! How was she supposed to pretend to be an infant?! She was 28 years old for Circe's sake! She was a damn war veteran! And now she was meant to play with dolls?! Spend years in a tiny little body, just laying there doing nothing?! Learning to walk again?!

_Shit! That's complete and utter shit!_

The thing started beeping again and then nurse furrowed her brow before casting the same diagnostic spells again.

“I want to see her. Give me my daughter.” the woman demanded, this time surprisingly forceful. Her voice betrayed exhaustion, but Hermione could pick up on the stubbornness as well. There was no way she'd let herself be dissuaded this time.

Unfortunately in the next moment it sinked in that she was the daughter of which the woman was speaking of and she panicked momentarily. The nurse started drying her with a towel and Hermione squeezed her eyes shut to control the sudden dizziness that took over at the thought of having parents and, presumably, a whole new family.

What if they didn't like her? What if they were horrible? _Fuck!_ Where the fuck even was she? _What year is this? What country? What DIMENSION_? Her head was spinning, but she forced herself to think logically. How the hell was it possible that she remembered everything about her first life? She assumed that she would forget everything.

The scroll turned out to be shockingly literal. She was reborn in every sense of the word. About ten minutes ago she was literally in somebody's uterus. Yet her Soul was the same. The scroll wasn't being metaphorical about the whole “Soul Travelling” business. If the other parts were equally precise, it meant she found herself in an alternative reality of some sort. A new body was provided to house her old Soul.

It was difficult to wrap her mind around, especially since she felt surprisingly sleepy. Hermione yawned and shook her tiny head. The hospital staff was clearly British, but her “Mother” had a very strong French accent. Just as the thought came to her the young nurse wrapped her up in a plush, white blanket and she found herself melting into it.

 _Omg is that cashmere? So soft!... Circe, I have a baby brain, don't I?_ Hermione was ready to cry now.

Another woman came to the nurse's side and peered down at her. This one was older and wearing a Mediwitch's garb. Huh. No wonder Poppy Pomfrey came to mind. The two could be sisters. Not only their physical appearance, but also their disposition and bedside manners. The nurse leaned into her ear.

“It looked like the beginning of a panic attack.” she whispered, nervously looking back. The Mediwitch raised a sceptical brow. “I swear it! Her heartbeat spiked, it looked like she had difficulty breathing and the chills-”

“We'll do a full check-up later.” the Mediwitch cut her off decisively, throwing the quiet infant a calculating look. “The little one is fine now and the mother looks ready to start throwing curses. Let's give her a few minutes and we'll take her then.”

 _Smart_ , Hermione thought, but quickly changed her mind when the Mediwitch picked her up without warning and carried her to a nearby hospital bed. She took a glance around that part of the room, which was concealed before. It was huge. There was even a coffee table and a sofa for guests. It looked like one of those luxury, personal rooms.

 _Damn_. Did her parents have lots of money? That was her last thought before she was placed in a different pair of arms quite unceremoniously.

Above her was an exhausted, but strikingly beautiful woman with the most gorgeous blue eyes and long, luscious, hair comprised of silky, honey-blonde locks. Ironically they reminded her strongly of how her bushy hair used to look at the Yule Ball, after being drowned in two tubes of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. Her “Mother's” hair however looked like this after, what appeared to be, a truly exhaustive birth.

 _Lucky_. Well, maybe in this life she'd be blessed with normal, straight hair and normal teeth?

Her “Mother” was clearly stunning. She had pouty, peach-coloured lips and a golden tone to her skin. Her lashes were long and thick, nose dainty and feminine. In fact, everything about her seemed exceedingly feminine. From her flushed, unblemished skin and the gentle curve of her neck to, most of all, the way her eyes brightened and then softened as Hermione was placed in her arms.

They stared at each other for a long moment. The woman's eyes moistened visibly and she sniffled. What followed was an incredibly peaceful, moving moment as she admired her new-born daughter, wearing a look full of wonder.

“She is... perfect.” she whispered softly, as if in awe. Emotions must've overwhelmed her, because she sobbed out a chuckle. “And so calm. You're not a fussy one, are you little dove?”

Hermione was astonished to feel the warmth spreading through her chest. She looked at the woman, fascinated. The unconstrained devotion she could see in her eyes was something she hasn't experienced in years. She couldn't help, but experience profound respect and reverence for someone who bestowed such emotions upon her. It was pure love. Nothing more, nothing less.

She had a mother.

The moment of perfect peace only ended when her mother started drifting off. The Mediwitch spotted the signs immediately and stepped up to the bed.

“It's time to rest, my Lady.”

Now that the initial confusion has cleared, Hermione picked up on nuances that eluded her previously. They called her “Lady” and such a designation wasn't given to some run of the mill, upper echelon housewife. Would she be some sort of French Royalty? Because that would be super cool. Not only that, but the nurse was using the same diagnostic spells that were used in her time. So she couldn't be too far off from her own timeframe. Did she travel to the future or the past?

“I should present her to my husband first.” her mother told the Mediwitch in the same commanding tone. The older witch pursed her lips, but relented once more.

 _Interesting._ Maybe she wasn't that far off with her “French Royalty” theory. Her mother was definitely accustomed to giving out orders. But what was this about “presenting a child to her husband”? Yes, she was definitely in the past. That sort of language just doesn't fly in the 21st century. There was some more shuffling in the room before a door was opened and someone bustled through, arriving by her mother's bedside within seconds.

“Lysette! Are you alright? Is she healthy?”

 _What a pretty name,_ she thought briefly. Then for the first time she saw the person who was supposed to be her “father”.

A man in his late twenties, probably a few years older than her mother. His brow was furrowed with worry, but that didn't take away from his good looks. There was an aristocratic sort of appearance to him, especially his face, which was angular with very prominent, high cheekbones and a roman nose. Lips on the thinner side worked well with his features. His hair was glorious, pin straight, black as the midnight sky and long enough to reach his shoulder blades, allowing him to tie it back with some sort of silk hair tie. This, combined with his light, nearly alabaster skin and black, wizarding robes made him look a bit like a vampire, in a good way.

He was wearing a well-fitted black robe with silver embroidery along the hem over elegant, black trousers and a formal vest. A dark, burgundy shirt with a black cravat completed the ensemble. The style of dress reminded her strongly of Lucius Malfoy. It looked overly formal, but also bloody dashing at the same time. Not to mention that it screamed MONEY. And not just my-parents-have-their-own-dental practise-and-we're-upper-class money, but we-have-three-yachts-and-a-private-plane sort of money. Like, my-father-will-hear-about-this money.

 _Damn_. Her parents really were loaded, huh?

“We're both well.” Lysette told him reassuringly, but he still looked sceptical. When he glanced at the Mediwitch for conformation, she huffed. “Honestly... I'm not an invalid, just a bit tired.”

“No, I believe you.” he said quickly, the look of worry finally drifting away.

His platinum grey eyes focused on his daughter then and immediately widened in wonder. He stood there for a moment, stupefied, his mouth slightly open. Hermione felt her eyes flutter, she was struggling not to fall asleep, but she wanted to get a feel of the man that would be her “father” in this life. As soon as the constant eye contact was broken, he seemed to break out of the initial daze and within a split second a beaming smile illuminated his face. The aristocratic visage was abruptly cut away, his countenance now full of adoration.

He sat on the edge of the hospital bed, careful not to disturb her mother and leaned over, slowly extending his hand towards her. Hermione could see the smug smirk forming on her mother's face as her "father" gently placed his hand on the soft blanket covering her chest. She felt a sudden urge to communicate with him in some way, to let him now that she was here. Before considering if its even a marginally normal thing for an infant to do, she extended her tiny hand and put it on one of his fingers. Both her parents gasped, but the look on his face she would never forget. Eyes shining like two stars, mouth hanging open in an expression of awe, face radiating with pure, unadulterated euphoria. There it was again. This feeling. Unconditional love.

She had a father.

The Mediwitch had all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop. If Hermione could, she would strangle her for interrupting another family moment. Fortunately her parents didn't notice their infant daughter sending a Mediwitch the evil eye when she said:

“My Lady you have to rest now.”

Lysette sighed, but didn't argue this time. She sent her daughter a last, loving smile and looked toward her father.

“Do you want to take her?”

The man froze, picking her up a visibly daunting prospect. He stood up a little quickly and brushed a hand through his long hair. She could plainly see him working on a viable excuse in his head. Her mother put an end to the planning with a tinkering laugh.

“You've held your nieces before.”

He sighed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“But she's so tiny...”

“Said every new father ever.” her mother rolled her eyes. “Come on, they're sturdier than they look.”

_No siblings then? Pity._

Her father sighed again, but apparently decided it was time to man up, because he bent down over his wife and picked up his daughter with hilarious caution. Lysette chuckled again, but her father looked very proud of himself. He cradled her to his chest with exceeding tenderness that struck her as extremely endearing on a man of his stature. He took one last glance at his wife, who was just laying down for a well-deserved rest, before walking over to the sofa and sitting down on it with Hermione still in his arms.

She heard some walking around in the distance, but he couldn't be bothered by anything around them. He stared at his daughter, watching her stare right back. She didn't think he noticed, but a goofy smile played on his face. Unfortunately the little staring contest seemed to deplete any remaining energy she had and she felt her eyelids droop. Her father grinned even wider when she yawned.

“Sleep well, princess.”

* * *

Sleep she did. The next time she opened her eyes the lights were severely dimmed and there was an atmosphere of serenity that usually accompanied the evening hours. There was no longer bustling around her or behind the door. Only two, hushed voices some distance away, speaking in deliberately low tones.

“So what does that mean?” There was an easily discernible note of impatience in her father's voice.

“Well, there might be an underlying heart issue, since-” an unfamiliar, young woman responded, but was quickly interrupted.

“But you said nothing was found.” he said with an icy quality to his voice.

“We can never be certain...” the woman kept hedging, clearly nervous. Her father only allowed her to squirm for one more moment.

“I want to talk to Healer Pomfrey again.”

 _Ha! Knew it!_ The older Mediwitch must've been related to Hogwart's Matron in some way. Since she was most likely in the not-so-distant past, either an aunt, a mother or a grandmother. That was honestly kind of wicked. Would she meet Minerva's family too? Or even baby Minerva herself? _Oh_! Would she go to Hogwarts again?! Her father sounded British after all.

It was interesting that the ritual would place her so close to home. It was a very literal do-over. In the same country, probably in the same school too. Only now she was apparently from a Magical family so at least a half-blood, not that it mattered to her personally. Her father definitely looked like a wizard, but there was also something different about her mother or maybe that's just wishful thinking on her part. Could it be possible that she was a Pureblood?

_Ha! Malfoy would find that hilarious._

Truly, even such a thought made her chuckle. It would be the height of irony for the Undesirable Mudblood Number One to be reborn as a Pureblood. In the meantime, the young woman speaking to her father was about to flee.

_Hmm. Interesting. Is he really such an intimidating person?_

“Yes, sir. I'll get her right away.”

Hurried steps and then a door closing. When the woman walked out, Hermione realised she was ravenous. She was about to alert her parents to that fact, somehow, when her mother suddenly spoke up.

“You were supposed to talk to her, not make her cry.” Lysette's voice was slightly groggy, but faintly amused. Her father grumbled.

“Well, you were supposed to sleep... and she didn't cry.” he quipped, sounding a bit petulant after being chastised by his wife.

Hermione would've laughed, but was too curious to find out what they were talking about. Was she sick? Lysette shuffled between the sheets, probably sitting up, promptly gaining her husbands attention.

“How are you feeling? Do you need any more pain potion?”

The sound of opening doors interrupted their conversation. Hermione heard the brisk, easily recognizable steps of Healer Pomfrey- the Mediwitch who led her delivery.

“Awake already, my Lady? You still need to rest. Is there any pain?”

Lysette apparently appreciated the Mediwitch's no-nonsense attitude and straightforward manner, because she gave a genuine answer.

“I'm well enough, I suppose. Still tired and sore, but nothing too bad.” There was a small pause which, if Hermione wasn't mistaken, was filled with a meaningful look directed at her husband. “Stop fretting, Alphard.”

Hermione scrunched up her nose in consternation. _Alphard? Where in the blazes did I hear that name?_

“Ah, of course.” The Mediwitch picked up on the issue quickly enough. ”I've hear you had some concerns, Lord Black.”

Hermione stilled. _Black... Lord Black._ It hit her like a ton of bricks. _Alphard Black... as in... Sirius' uncle?! FUCK_!

Her internal meltdown only intensified when something crashed nearby and an alarmed shout followed. How could this be?! That... that was impossible! That would mean she would meet Sirius! She'd be his cousin! No, no, that couldn't happen. Was Sirius alive already?

Alphard had died somewhere in the 1970's. He was halfway through his twenties now.

 _Oh God, there will be a war again_! The First Wizarding War!

Gods, but that's exactly what she wanted to avoid! No, please! She couldn't do this again! There was loud arguing happening around her, but she couldn't focus on the words. Thundering cries only intensified the buzzing in her head. The Mediwitch was casting diagnostic spells over Hermione, a look of consternation on her face. Her father stood right next to her, face etched with fear. But... Alphard died a childless bachelor! That's not right!

Hermione stilled and suddenly it was oddly quiet. She realised she had been crying. That deafening wailing must've been her. This was... wrong. All wrong. She tried to calm her breathing, knowing that everyone around her was freaking out.

If... Alphard was married with a child then it followed that the world she was now a part of truly was an alternative reality. Maybe there wouldn't be war, maybe there wouldn't even be Voldemort. If people that never existed could be born, then people who used to exist might never be born at all. It made sense, right? There was no way that the world was so cruel as to send her from one war to the next. No way in hell.

“Give me my daughter, now!” Lysette insisted from the bed, her voice nearly hysterical.

Hermione forced herself to calm down, knowing that she was upsetting her. The infernal beeping finally stopped, when her heartbeat regulated. The Mediwitch seemed at a complete loss as to what she should do.

“Do it!”

The commanding voice of Alphard Black seemed to solidify her decision. Hermione was picked up and carried over to to her mother's bed and, once there, immediately enveloped in her warm arms. Lysette was visibly shaken by her outburst, her blue, worried eyes roving over her daughter's face.

“What in the bloody hell was that?” she heard her father demand of the Mediwitch, all pretence of decorum abandoned in the face of parental panic.

“Accidental Magic.” the Mediwitch told him, disbelief colouring her every word.

“She's ten hours old!”

Alphard seemed beside himself and judging by the silence that followed, he wasn't the only one. Lysette kept gently caressing Hermione face with her slim fingers, as if to reassure herself about her daughter's well-being. There was an audible, heavy sigh before her father joined them on the bed.

“I'll order more tests and place an inquiry with a few specialists...” Healer Pomfrey, which she now had to assume was Poppy's aunt or mother, mumbled to herself, still bewildered by the situation she found herself in.

“You do that.” her father snarled bitingly, but his eyes lost all of their cutting edge when they fell on his daughter.

The Mediwitch left, leaving the small family alone. There was a profound silence for the longest moment before an unpleasant constricting sensation in her tummy, reminded Hermione that she was hungry. A sound left her throat, which could only be described as pitiful keening and her parents were brought to immediate alert.

“What's wrong?” Alphard perked up, concern returning at once. Hermione went quiet and then repeated the sound, feeling utterly humiliated.

“I don't know, maybe she's hungry.” Lysette proposed and shifted Hermione to one arm. “I would be, after such a display.

 _Oh my god, she's about to breastfeed,_ Hermione lamented in her mind. _Will there be no end to this debasement?_ Then diapers came to mind. _Fuck!_

“I can't believe she blew up the chandelier.” Alphard murmured, sounding exasperated, but also... proud?

_Uh-oh..._

Lysette sighed.

“Well, at least we know she's not a Squib.”

Then, the breastfeeding commenced.

* * *

She was once again proven incorrect about the situation not being able to get worse when the feeding time had its inevitable consequences. She tired to put if off for as longs as she could, even giving herself a stomach ache in the process, but alas Hermione was forced to capitulate before the forces of nature. She actually cried a little bit from the humiliation of being demoted from war heroine to diaper pooper.

Her mother was very graceful about the whole thing and even comforted her afterwards. The cooing would've been annoying if it wasn't so delightful. Lysette smelled wonderful after her bath. Like green apples and cinnamon, sweet with a hint of spice, which her daughter found incredibly fitting.

Hermione would've thought that such mundane tasks were left to a governess in the Pureblood society as Narcissa Malfoy made the impression of never seeing a dirty diaper in her life. Lysette however, looked right at home with swaddling, washing and taking care of her. Still, she had to be a Pureblood, right? Alphard was a Black and that meant only a Pureblood spouse was allowed. Unless he'd want to find himself disinherited, of course.

The next morning gave her some more insight into the dynamic between their parents. Alphard walked in, wearing fresh clothes and an annoyed look on his face.

“I thought we've already agreed on a name.” he said without preamble, obviously miffed at having to go through this conversation again.

Lysette raised a brow at his tone, but didn't stop bouncing Hermione in her arms. Honestly it gave her daughter a headache, but she didn't know how to protest this behaviour. So far crying has only earned her more bouncing.

“Yes, I did view some astronomical charts.” Lysette told him coolly, earning a delighted giggle from the baby girl in her arms. Her blue eyes twinkled adoringly before turning up to her husband once more. “See? She thinks star-themed names are pretentious too.”

“Oh, did she tell you that?”

“She didn't have to, a mother knows such things” Lysette mocked, then huffed. “What on earth am I supposed to call her? Phoenix? Hydra? Or better yet, Venus? Give me a break, _Alphard_.”

Hermione giggled again, receiving a conspiratorial wink in return. Her father pinched the bridge of his nose.

“What about naming her after one of my aunts? We'll need to choose godparents anyway.”

“Which one, Cedrella?”

Her mother's sing-song tone only placed a distinctly unamused look on Alphard's face. Hermione was confused until she recalled the family tree in Grimmuald Place.

The name Cedrella Black was still there, but the portrait itself has been blown off the tapestry. Her name being connected to that of Septimus Weasley was explanation enough. Her father's peeved expression made sense. Lysette just suggested his daughter be named after a disinherited “blood-traitor” to House Black.

If only he knew how hilariously accurate that was. Associating with Weasley's was her bread and butter after all. Hermione was both amused and impressed by her mother's sass. Alphard not so much.

“What about Lucretia?” he asked through gritted teeth, apparently having decided to let this one go. Lysette harrumphed.

“She's arrogant and vain.”

“Callidora?”

“Callidora's a nutter!”

Alphard let that one pass, but only because it was true. Callidora went off the deep end years ago.

Nutty as fruitcake that one.

“Dorea, then.”

For the first time her mother hesitated.

“I like Dorea...”

“Ha!”

“... but the name is horrid.”

Her father's triumphant exclamation died down and a scowl appeared in its place. He looked ready to blow his top when Lysette finally decided to take pity on him.

“I like Cassiopeia though.” the hopeful look on her father's face was enough for Hermione to break into giggles again. “The person and the name.”

Alphard sighed with relief and approached the sofa to pick up his daughter, who Lysette handed off easily, a knowing smile blooming on her face.

“Cassiopeia Alexandrine Black.” he said, watching her face thoughtfully.

 _Alexandrine? It's certainly... unique. Sort of like Hermione_ , she thought and must've had a funny look on her face, because Alphard snorted. Lysette cleared her throat meaningfully. Alphard shot her a scowl in response.

“Fine. Alexandrine Cassiopeia Black. Merlin, you're stubborn as a mule, woman.”

Her mother hummed happily, standing up to get a change of clothes.

“You'll get to decide for the next one. After you squeeze out a melon through YOUR pint-sized whole, that is.”

Alphard winced at the thought, but then his laughing daughter completely absorbed his attention. He barely noticed when Lysette disappeared and then came back, visibly refreshed after putting on a fresh change of clothes.

“Did you speak with the Elves?”

Her father continued making silly faces, watching as she laughed and reached out her little hands to grab him by the hair. _Babies do that, right?_

“Al?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes” Alphard finally spared some attention to his wife, smiling apologetically. “Wispy told me about some cousin of hers having young ones to spare. If there's anyone suitable, she will make an offer...”

Alphard trail off, watching his daughter's face screw up in distaste. _Those ridiculous names can only belong to House Elves. They're buying me a damn House Elf. Fuck. Hypocrisy, thy name is Hermione... or Alexandrine. Whatever._

The next few days after that were mostly spent trying to sleep while Mediwitches and Mediwizards ran every test they could think of, poking and prodding her, casting spells like crazy. They searched for issues in her heart, lungs and brain specially, then branched out to other, more inconspicuous organs. Basically anything that could possibly explain how an infant could experience mild panic attacks or accidental bursts of Magic that blew up chandeliers and split up ceilings into six parts. In the end the staff of Saint Mungo's had to throw up their hands in defeat. There was nothing physically wrong with the child.

She had a moment of panic when they mentioned calling in a Mind Healer, but fortunately Lysette came through on this one. She put her foot down and flat out refused allowing anyone to “go on a wild-goose chase inside her daughter's head”. There was some minor dissent, mainly from Healer Pomfrey, but even that didn't withstand a harsh glare from “Lady Black”.

From then on, she had nothing but praise for her parents. It was plain to see how fiercely protective they were of their daughter.

If anyone went aimlessly poking in her head, there was no telling what might be found. She couldn't risk that so while the Healers continued to run and re-run their tests, she'd lay there for hours, strengthening her Mind's Eye and erecting new, even stronger shields. That at least helped pass some time. It turned out there wasn't much to do as an infant. She'd eat, sleep, play a clueless infant for the sake of keeping her cover and tinker with her Occlumency shields the rest of the time. At this rate by the time she was expected to speak, she'd already be a certified master Occlumens.

If Alphard and Lisette noticed anything weird about her, they didn't say. Three days later the matter was finally put to rest. Before leaving the hospital she resolved to truly live this life as if it was her first one. That was her goal in the first place, wasn't it? A real do-over. Hermione needed to be put to rest. She was no longer a Muggleborn with dentist parents.

She was Alexandrine Cassiopeia Black, daughter of Alphard and Lysette, and damn her, she would even have a House Elf to prove it.

* * *

December 14th 1958

Leaving Saint Mugo's couldn't happen a moment too soon as far as Alexa was concerned. It was hard enough pretending to be an infant without the nurses constantly hovering over her and Healer Pomfrey's suspicious eyes laser focused on her every move.

Her parents took her by floo, which provided the first of many surprises when Lysette called out “Chateau Selwyn, family wing”. She almost choked when she realised the implications of it.

In Hermione's world there were no more Selwyn's in Britain. The British side of the family died out, which only left the French side, but all of them were living abroad. In effect the Selwyn's were extinct as far as Britain was concerned. That made her the Heiress to the British branch of the Selwyn's as well as a product of a union between two Purebloods from the Sacred Twenty-Eight.

 _Damn_. She wasn't too far off in her assessment.

Sacred Twenty-Eight was as close to royalty as you could get in the wizarding world and she could probably safely assume that Selwyn's held an equal or, at the very least, similar standing in France.

 _What the hell_? Did the ritual purposefully put her in the exact opposite life to the one she had before? _If only Malfoy knew_ , she mused, _he'd piss himself, poor chap._

They appeared in a luxurious sitting room with a 2 metre wide fireplace built into a wall of decorative stone. Walnut hardwood floors and warm, beige walls with dimmed lights created a very intimate atmosphere. Three cream, leather sofas with a plethora of cream or brown pillows took the central place in the room. A big, fluffy rug lay in between them. One of the stone walls was curved and shelves full of books lined it from floor to ceiling. There was even an opened book on a coffee table in between the sofas. It was cosy, sort of like a family room. She could imagine spending hours here with a book in her hand.

Alexa sighed internally at the thought. It would take at least five years until she'd be able to “learn” how to read. _Damn it_.

The interior only made her curious to see what the rest of the house looked like. Anything that claimed to be a “Chateau” had to be pretty impressive, right?

When Alphard came through the fireplace behind them, a soft pop signalled the arrival of a House Elf.

He had short, erect ears, brown eyes and a long face. He was also quite tall for his species, skinny and pretty old as far as she could tell. It was always difficult to gauge a House Elf's age. This one stood tall, like a soldier at attention, waiting to greet his Masters. She was surprised to see him wearing a short-sleeved, black tunic that reached his knees. Both the elf and the clothing looked clean and well cared for. Something about his stoic demeanour brought to mind a tiny butler.

It really was a relief to see him looking so well. When her father first mentioned a House Elf, the heads mounted on the walls of Grimmuald Place inevitably came to mind. Fortunately at least one Black treated his Elves decently.

 _No pillowcases or potato sacks in this household, thank the Gods_.

“Welcome home Mistress and little Lady Black.” he said, bowing slowly and deeply.

“Am I not welcome?” Alphard teased, but the Elf fixed him with an unamused expression.

“Master been home an hour ago. Rusty prepares the nursery for little Lady Black.”

“Thank you, Rusty” Lysette told him graciously, a small smile on her face. “Is Wispy back yet?”

“Wispy goes and brings the new Elf for Little Lady Black.

“Perfect. Is there anything else?”

“Yes, Mistress, a hawk from Lord Arcturus be leaving a letter for Master.”

That immediately got Alphard's attention. He jolted upon hearing this news.

“Well, I better take care of it right away.”

Her father pecked Lysette on the cheek and then kissed the top of his daughter's head. When he walked off, she saw her mother's brow furrowed in concern. Just who was this Arcturus person that a letter from him would provoke such a reaction?

“Rusty takes things to where they need to go.” the Elf announced and with a snap of his fingers the bags from the hospital disappeared. “Mistress be needing anything from Rusty?”

“No, thank you Rusty. Have dinner ready in and hour, please.”

“Mistress, little Lady...” with a graceful bow and a pop of air, he was gone.

 _Well, colour me impressed_ , Alexa thought. She's never seen a Pureblood treat a House Elf with such respect. It was especially unexpected from House Black. Her mother was clearly raised in France, so maybe the custom was different there? She knew that in some other countries the poor creatures were treated much better. Her father didn't disappoint either. It was plain to see that he had built a certain rapport with Rusty.

Lysette took her daughter from the room and walked out into the hallway. The space was bright, full of warm lights and neutrally painted walls. That seemed to be the theme around here. She started giving her infant daughter a tour, pointing out every door.

“That's Mommy's and Daddy's room, right across from yours.” she chirped, showing her an ornate, double sided door. “And here is the nursery. Do you like it? I picked out the furniture myself, because Daddy is hopeless...” she chuckled. “...but don't tell Daddy I said that.”

Lysette was indeed gifted in interior design. The room wasn't decorated in obnoxious, princess pink, but almost entirely white with tasteful, mint accents. There was a huge, thick rug in the middle, which resembled polar bear fur, except for the square shape. It looked very soft and as fluffy as a pillow. She'd probably spend lots of time crawling over it, so that's a good thing. A bay window with soft, mint curtains presented a gorgeous view of a rose garden, slightly frozen now and with a smattering of snow covering the grass. There was a half-circle window seat beneath with plenty of white and mint pillows. It looked like an amazing place to read. The crib itself looked amazing too. Tall, pure white with a shimmering, chiffon canopy and soft, mint bedding, as well as a teddy bear inside. A rocking chair stood next to the crib, a lovely mint blanket draped over it. The room also contained a playpen and a large, carved chest, presumably with toys inside.

She was curious to see what kinds of toys children played with in the wizarding world. Toy broomsticks were apparently a thing, but that was the extent of her knowledge and there was no way she'd get on one either.

Lysette placed her daughter in the crib and started rummaging through a nearby dresser. She finally decided on a soft, cream onesie with brown stars sewn onto it and put it on her daughter with a wave of her wand.

“Want to hear a story, little dove?” the Frenchwoman cooed and with another flick summoned a book. She sat down on the rocking chair and started reading aloud “ _The Tales of Beedle and Bard_ ” to her daughter.

_Fuck my life._

Thankfully her father came back before Lysette reached “ _The Tale of the Three Brothers_ ”. If he didn't, she was scared she'd puke if she had to hear that mess again.

“How is she settling in?” he asked quietly, poking his head through the door in case Alexa was asleep.

“I think she loves her room.” Lysette graced her husband with a wide, happy smile. Alphard returned her smile with a teasing one.

“Well, it took three weeks to get everything here from France, so she'd better be suitably impressed.”

“Men.” Lysette scoffed, but there was no real bite to it. “Was the letter important?”

Her husband's countenance immediately darkened.

“He'll be visiting tomorrow for dinner.”

Lysette's brows shot up to her hairline, but more so at her husbands behaviour than the news itself.

“It's unusual, I admit, but why do you look so worried?”

Alphard sighed, brushing a hand through his long hair.

“Because it's never good news when Arcturus makes a personal visit. He does nothing without reason.”

“Maybe he just wants to see Alexandrine? Isn't that reason enough? He is your Paterfamilias after all. It would make sense.”

 _Paterfamilias_? She should've known that Purebloods would cling onto such ancient notions. In Rome a Paterfamilias was usually the oldest member of the family and could exercise authority over the others. A head of the family of sorts. She was curious to see the application of such a thing in the modern days. Alphard's voice betrayed a suitable amount of concern for her to be worried about it. He now shook his head.

“He's never made special visits for any of Cygnus' daughters. They were presented to him during the holidays. If we had a boy, you'd probably be right, but there's no chance for Alexandrine to be his heir. Besides, the Winter Solstice is only a few weeks away.”

 _Good to know_. That put her birthday somewhere in the first part of December.

“Then maybe you should have a female Head of House.” Lysette told him with an air of superiority, topped with a smug smile.

“Must be nice to be your own Materfamilias.” Alphard laughed. “Unfortunately things don't work that way in House Black, darling.”

“Well, so far there are no male heirs in sight, but maybe Walburga will finally deliver the goods. She's 33 now, is she not?” Lysette fixed the blanket that started sliding off Alexa, then looked back at her husband with a wicked glint in her eye. “They should've had some luck already, no? Might be from lack of trying."

“I do not need to think about my little sister getting it on with our cousin, thank you very much.” Alphard screwed up his face in distaste, making his wife giggle. “Ten years is a long time though, I think they would've had a child already if it was in the cards for them.”

“Not everybody can get the job done it four months, darling.”

At this, her father's face brightened and a smile reappeared.

“Better not, we should wait at least a year before the second one.”

“Next one?”

Alexandrine fell asleep to the sound of her parents bickering.

* * *

December 14th 1999

She was so... confused. When George passed away, her and Ron became close again. After months of avoiding each other and grieving their best friend separately, they finally started talking. She was overjoyed at first. It felt just like before The Battle. The familiarity of relying on and comforting each other, whispering for hours at night like they did last year in the tent, was pleasant to go back to for a while.

Then Ron brought up what happened in the Chamber of Secrets and she couldn't bring herself to break his heart, while it was still broken after his brother's death. He barely healed the wounds from losing his parents, Percy and Fred. Now with George... it was even harder to bring him back. She couldn't tell him the truth, not when he had such a desperately hopeful look in his eyes.

Destroying the second-to-last Horcrux came with an incredibly sense of accomplishment and a healthy shot of adrenaline. So when her childhood crush kissed her, Hermione kissed back. But when the fight was over and the adrenaline dispersed the kiss suddenly lost its Magic.

Not that she had any romantic notions in mind while they started forming the Resistance. Neither did Ron, not really. They barely exchanged a word during those first few months. Ron fell into training with George and Hermione devoted herself to Healer training with Katie. Not to mention the fact that Minerva was constantly breathing down her neck. However that routine completely fell apart with George's death, five months ago.

It didn't matter that they weren't on speaking terms. Bill has left. Charlie was away from the Headquarters on a mission. Ginny was unable to help anyone, least of all herself. _Ron needs me_ , she thought, _that's all there is to it_. Hermione didn't expect sex to be part of it, but he seemed to need... to feel close to someone again. She was missing her friend and so... she went along with it. It's not like it was her first time anyways.

The regret came immediately after it was over. While Ron was asleep, she scrubbed her body raw in the shower. It was... awful. Clumsy, awkward and not pleasant in the least. To be frank, it was much worse than her first time. She resolved to forget about it ever happening... but then he came to her again.

The second time she just folded. Maybe they just needed practise. They didn't have much experience after all. So she tried again and one more time after that. The third time she just felt... ashamed.

That she let herself be convinced again, that she was giving him false hope. Because by then she knew that her and Ron weren't meant to be after all. That every dream she had in school of them marrying and living happily ever after was no more possible than Harry coming back to life. She felt shame for allowing him to... use her body, while she tried and failed to feel anything but discomfort and annoyance. As they kept having sex more, they started talking less and the shame intensified.

It was just like after The Battle. Avoiding each other's eyes, barely speaking during the day. Then at night, he would come and they'd have sex. He would fall asleep, she would take a shower and then go outside for a breath of fresh air. She'd come back cold and resigned, lay down next to him and fall asleep too. Night after night. Week after week. The shame lessened, but never went away completely. She felt... indifferent towards Ron and was ashamed of that too. Why would a person share this kind of intimacy with someone they didn't have any romantic feelings for?

But every time she'd bring up the topic, suggest that maybe it was time to stop, that she didn't feel that way for him... he would be so heartbroken. He would cry or beg, or stop talking to her completely. She couldn't take it. Losing another person, another friend was not an option. Sex wasn't that big of a sacrifice to make, was it?

Ron was just grieving. It's understandable that he would look for some semblance of normalcy in these trying times. He needed her for now. Things would be back to normal soon. At least that's what she told herself.

But they didn't. Even when Charlie came back, Ron didn't stop leaning on her and their intimacy. The two brothers didn't seem to have the greatest relationship. Ginny spent her days with Parvati, taking care of provisions and other practical parts of running a small paramilitary force. Surprisingly, it was Hermione who started relying on Charlie for comfort.

“No longer worried about lung cancer?” he teased, while she snatched the offered cigarette out of his hand.

“Let's face it, none of us will live long enough to get it.” she shivered slightly from the cold, her hair was still damp after her shower. Hermione's dark mood caused a frown to appear on his face.

“What did my idiot brother do again?”

“Nothing.” she said a bit too quickly. Charlie sighed.

“Hermione...”

“He needs me.” she interrupted firmly, giving him a pointed look. “We all need someone.”

“What he needs is for someone to smack him upside the head.” Charlie snorted before taking a deep puff. “Besides, Alicia and I are on the same page. Can you say the same?”

Hermione blushed, lowering her eyes to the ground.

“What page is that?”

“Fun is the name of the game.” he threw a wink her way, causing her blush to deepen. “You're too good for him.”

“Am I?” she asked bitterly, letting out a long puff of smoke. “None of us are innocent anymore.”

“It was self defence. You're not like them.” Charlie told her softly, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. As always, he could easily cut through her internal monologue and find the crux of the issue.

She shivered slightly. His hand was rough and blistered, but incredibly warm. Charlie liked to joke that he's as hot as dragon fire. Hermione sighed heavily, leaning against his shoulder. He was kind enough not to point out the sniffling once it started, just wrapped his arm around her back, slowly rubbing between her shoulder blades.

“Everything's turned to shit.”

“Language, young lady.” he scolded teasingly. “You're spending way too much time with me.”

She laughed through the tears. Charlie rubbed her back again and Hermione closed her eyes. He was so damn warm. Charlie spoke to her softly and most importantly, without judgement.

“I know you don't want to hear it, but what you're doing with Ron... it doesn't help anybody. Not him and definitely not you. A pity fuck isn't the same thing as a genuine relationship.”

Hermione stepped away from him, immediately thrown on the defensive.

“Charlie...” she chided, feeling her face burn. “...you know it's not like that.”

“Are you even attracted to him?” he challenged, wearing a strange look on his face. Hermione sputtered, feeling utterly exposed.

“I'm not going to discuss it with his brother, that's for damn sure.”

That got him to finally drop the topic. After a moment of silence, during which both of them doused and discarded their cigarettes, Charlie turned to her with a surprisingly hard look in his brown eyes.

“Shouldn't you go back to him?”

Hermione blinked, slightly taken aback by his cool demeanour when they heard someone call her name from afar.

“Right here!” she called back and soon they saw Katie running their way.

They barely glanced at each other and took of running. Something has happened. When they reached Katie, she was clutching at her side, breathing hard. There was a frantic look in her eye, her dark hair in complete disarray from being woken up at two in the morning.

“What's wrong?” Charlie questioned a second before Hermione did. Tears were pooling in Katie's eyes.

“Group 3 just came back. The Snatchers... Minerva is hurt.” she told them in a broken voice and Hermione's world spun on its axis.

* * *

December 15th 1958

The following morning brought an interesting development in the form of two House Elves appearing in her room along with her parents. Lysette picked her up with a bright smile. She looked gorgeous in flowing, yellow robes with white flowers sewn on.

“Good morning, little dove.” she chirped and spun around to show her the room. “Isn't she beautiful, Wispy?”

There were two female House Elves standing next to her father. The taller one looked surprisingly chubby for an Elf, with her round face and puffy cheeks. She was also wearing the same, black tunic that Rusty did. Her dark eyes were gleaming with what looked like... triumph?

“Little Lady Selwyn is being pretty like my Lady been as a babe. Lady Selwyn did good for the Heiress.” the House Elf exclaimed happily. Alphard raised his brow.

“They're actually Blacks, both of them.”

His words however went completely ignored by the little creature, as she started cooing and fussing.

“Little Lady Selwyn be having the Selwyn eyes and the hair. Just like my Lady, she is.”

“It's like she doesn't even hear me.” her father complained grumpily to his wife, which was met with a shrug and an indulgent smile directed at the ecstatic Elf.

Alexa sighed internally. Her hair was curly again. _Damn it_. Well actually, her mother's hair was beyond stunning, with no sign of bushiness, but smooth, luscious locks. So not all hope was lost yet. And those gorgeous blue eyes of hers were to die for anyway, so at least one definite win.

“And the Little Lady's hair be dark...” Wispy continued, throwing Alphard a reluctantly approving look. “...like the Great Ancestress she is.”

_I have black hair? That's... different, I guess._

Her father responded with another eyebrow quirk. Lysette threw her husband a warning look, which he took great pleasure in ignoring.

“I thought that's all just bunk.” he baited the Elf, barely holding in a smirk. The sassy Elf wouldn't hear any of it.

“It is the truest truth! Wispy not be lying to Lord Black! Little Lady Selwyn be looking just like the Great Ancestress Wispy been seeing in paintings at Hogwarts.”

Alexandrine listened intently, trying to crack the puzzle. So the Selwyn's had some famous ancestress that had a portrait at Hogwarts. Interesting. She wondered if she'd seen it before. Unfortunately she wasn't given any further clues because the mouthy Elf remembered something important.

“Now Wispy has Elf for Little Lady Selwyn. Daisy!” she called loudly, her voice suddenly stern.

The second Elf's blue eyes widened comically when all attention was suddenly directed at her. She was tiny, even for a House Elf. Her face was shaped almost like a tringle with huge, floppy ears and round, sky blue eyes. She was also wearing a dirty pillowcase, which made Alexa immediately nervous. Wispy approached the little Elf and basically dragged her in front of her parents. She looked terrified, shaking like a leaf.

“Wispy's cousin be having this young one fourteen summers ago. Wispy is told the young one is ready to have Masters. Cooks, cleans and cares for babies, Daisy does.”

Alphard just nodded, but her mother still looked slightly concerned.

“Is she not too young, though? Are you sure you're ready, Daisy?”

Lysette's kindness seemed to have a positive effect on her confidence, because the little creature nodded with determination.

“Daisy is ready. Daisy cares for babies for years.” she assured them, although she was still awkwardly pulling at her overly large, floppy ears. “Daisy is honoured to serve the Most Ancient and Noble House Black.”

“Very well.” her mother nodded, then moved on despite Wispy's protestation that Alexandrine is “Little Lady Selwyn”.

“You will not be bonding to House Black, but to my daughter specifically.” her father informed the little creature, whose eyes kept widening until they resembled two golf balls. “You'll be her personal Elf. Do you understand?”

Alexandrine was confused and once again, unable to express her confusion aloud. Was there really a difference?

“Daisy is honoured, she is!” the little Elf exclaimed, tears brimming in her huge eyes. Lysette wore another one of her secretive smiles. “Can Daisy bond now?”

“Go ahead.” Alphard nodded.

 _Bond? What the hell does that mean?_ Alexa shifted nervously in her mother's arms.

Lysette crouched down to bring her daughter to the tiny Elf's level. Daisy stared into her eyes for a long moment, then extended her hand and slowly placed it on Alexa's. The thrumming of Magic was almost palpable in the air. She felt a tightening in her Magical Core as Daisy closed her eyes and for the first time in both of her lives, she felt a connection form. It was... strange, but wonderful. Like her Core was somehow connected to Daisy's by a thin, invisible thread. The “bond” was unobtrusive, but if she focused on it, she could feel its presence. Daisy opened her watery eyes and breathed deeply.

“Daisy is bonded with the Little Lady.” she announced in wonderment, then started to sniffle and rub her teary eyes. Lysette stood up, smiling. Wispy huffed in exasperation, but there was a small, proud smile on her face.

“Daisy goes with Wispy now.” Wispy told the younger Elf firmly, then grabbed her by the arm. “Wispy be giving her new clothes to wear.”

The two disappeared with a soft popping sound and her parents shared a glance.

“She cries more than her charge.” her father joked, reaching out to his daughter. Lysette chuckled.

“She'll do nicely, I think. Their bond will be strong.”

Alphard nodded and picked up his daughter.

“Now, how about you and I spend some time together, princess? Your mother needs to prepare the house for an important dinner guest.”

The last part was clearly directed at Lysette, who just chuckled in return.

“Fine, but at least let me feed her first, you worrywart.”

After getting fed, Alexa was left with her dad while Lysette ran around readying their home for the arrival of the mysterious Arcturus. This was the first time Alphard spent so much time alone with his daughter and it was a very pleasant experience for both.

She got to know an array of magical toys, from an owl plushie that flew in circles around the room, to a set of Magical Creatures figurines that acted like their counterparts. A Kneazle, a Siren, a Gnome, a Centaur, a Manticore and yes, even a Dragon, included. The Dragon took to flying around with the Owl or spitting fake, but warm fire. The Manticore prowled after the Gnome, waving its tail, the Centaur ran around shooting sparks instead of arrows from his bow. The siren kept singing a soft tune in the background, while the Kneazle licked the soles of her feet until she started crying from laughter.

The whole thing felt surreal. She would never admit that she envied other children at Hogwarts their magical childhoods. It's a pity it took a death and a ritual from hell for her to get one.

Alphard, on the other hand, couldn't help but admire how his daughter interacted with everything. She acted so calm and intelligent. The way she carefully interacted with everything around her was remarkable to him. There was no grabbing or yanking things, or banging her little fists against the toys. He spent some time entertaining his nieces when they were this little and his daughter seemed completely different. She would just observe her surroundings with those large, sapphire blue eyes and softly, if a bit awkwardly, pet the Owl when it flew down to her every once in a while. She seemed especially taken with the dragon though and she'd smile every time it breathed fire. He was probably becoming a sap, but Alphard honestly couldn't help, but feel that his daughter was special in some way. How, he couldn't exactly pinpoint. Every time he tried to put his finger on it, the conclusion slipped away. _You're such a sap_ , he would laugh.

* * *

When she woke up from her afternoon nap, Alexandrine was immediately bathed and put in a fluffy, cornflower blue dress by Daisy. The little Elf, although nervous, was a surprisingly dab hand at everything else. She got her prepared in record time and then handed her off to Lysette. Her parents were both dressed to the nines.

Alphard was wearing dark, forest green formal robes with a crisp white shirt and a black cravat. Lysette discarded her flowy, yellow robes for an elegant, pink chiffon dress with a high, halter neckline. She looked refined and feminine with her honey-blonde locks pinned up in an elegant chignon and tasteful, gold jewellery.

They all went to the reception room and waited for a few minutes. When the clock chimed four, the door opened and Rusty came inside, followed by an older gentleman with a severe look on his face. He had dark, grey hair with some remnants of black scattered around. It was perfectly combed and showed no signs of thinning. He had a heavy brow with bushy eyebrows and deep-set, pewter eyes. The age lines on his face were present, but not pronounced, which was pretty common in older wizards.

Dumbledore must've been over a hundred when she first met him and he didn't look a day over seventy. This man could be anywhere from fifty to a hundred, but the way he held himself spoke of great dignity and even more so, commanded respect. His robes were very similar to Alphard's only black from head to toe. He was using an ornate cane made out of dark wood, to support his left leg. From the way he was walking, one could easily tell that he must've suffered some kind of severe injury in the years past. In spite of it, the man stood tall and proud. His pewter eyes swept sharply over the small family before zooming in on the small bundle in Lysette's arms. Rusty cleared his throat, his back stiff and ramrod straight.

“His Lordship Arcturus Phineas Black the Third, Head of the Most Ancient and Noble House Black.”

After the long announcement was over, their guest approached. Alphard fell into a respectful bow, while her mother curtsied.

“Welcome to our home, my Lord.” her fathered said with the appropriate amount of deference.

“It is an honour to receive you, my Lord” Lysette echoed, gracefully coming up from her curtsy.

“That's quite enough of the formality” he commanded gruffly, then took Lysette's proffered hand and placed a kiss on its back, then shook hands with Alphard. After that was done, he peered down at the infant. “And the youngest Black.”

Alphard looked suddenly nervous.

“Alexandrine Cassiopeia Black.”

The dark man shot both her parents a hard look. Her father went deathly pale and even Lysette started fidgeting a bit under his gaze.

“Yes, I've seen her on the family tapestry” he acknowledged, but didn't comment on the matter further.

His pewter eyes seemed to pierce through Alexa's soul. It was uncomfortably similar to the way that Dumbledore used to stare at people when he knew they had something to hide, but there wasn't much of his overt kindness. This man's whole demeanour screamed serious trouble. Not just because he was a naturally intimidating person, though he definitely was, but because she could tell from first glance, just how frighteningly perceptive he was. There was sharp intelligence in those eyes and Alexa couldn't help, but get paranoid. If there was one person who could find out her secret, it was that man right there, looking into her eyes with keen concentration.

“Let us be seated” Alphard proposed after a long moment of silence, effectively ending the examination.

Both her parents looked understandably nervous at all the attention Arcturus was giving their daughter. Suddenly the reason for his visit became both clear and all the more confusing.

They escorted their guest to the elegant seating arrangements. The décor was much more formal than the one Alexa has seen so far, so they must've been in a different part of the Chateau. The soft creams and warm, brown woods were replaced by stark white furniture and cool-toned marble on the floor. The setting felt appropriate for the company.

Both men waited for her mother to sit down before they did so. The one thing that Alexa always appreciated about Purebloods, were their manners. Even if the Ferret forgot them for a long while.

“Can we offer you anything to drink, my Lord?” her mother offered graciously.

Arcturus gave a curt nod in her direction.

“Cognac, if you have it.”

“The same for me, Rusty.” her father said to the Elf, who bowed in response, then turned to Lysette.

“Just tea for me, please.”

The Elf disappeared, leaving the humans in each other's company. The silence didn't last long.

“Let us address the reason for my visit directly.” Lord Black said stoically, looking straight at Alphard. “Is it not customary to notify your Paterfamilias about a member of our family displaying Magic for the first time?”

“Yes, it is.” her father admitted heavily, already suspecting what was coming.

“Then why is it that I have to be notified of such things by a reporter?” Arcturus questioned him with visible distaste.

This time, Alexa was confused by the turn this conversation took. Apparently, she wasn't the only one.

“A reporter?” Lysette sounded confused. Alphard sighed, rubbing his forehead.

“In Britain, when a new member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight is born, there's a mention of it in The Daily Prophet.”

“There will be more than a mention this time since one of their reporters found out that your daughter nearly blew up Saint Mungo's while she was there.” Arcturus added coldly. “There will be an article in The Prophet tomorrow morning. Your daughter made the third page.”

“It's a bit of an overreaction to say she almost blew it up...” her mother defended, which was apparently the wrong thing to say. Arcturus shot her a hard look that made Lysette flush. Alphard threw her a lifeline.

“Apologies, my Lord. I'm afraid concern for my daughter made me forget about my duties.” he said, bowing his head before Arcturus. “The Healers worried for her health and it took many days at Saint Mungo's for them to run necessary tests.”

Arcturus frowned at that news.

“That is... acceptable” he conceded after a moment of thought, then shifted the cane in his hand. “Let us unite on this front for the public. I already made sure this... article, didn't dishonour our family. There hasn't been such an early, recorded sign of Magic for the past twenty years. Tomorrow the Wizarding World will be reminded of the power our bloodline brings. If you are contacted by reporters, you will tell them how proud you are to be the parents of such a strong, magical child.”

“That's pretty easy to do” Lysette smiled lightly, immediately brightening up the mood. “We are very proud indeed. It is strange that they haven't contacted us yet, isn't it?”

“They might have.” Alphard told them reluctantly. “I didn't have the chance to got through all of the mail we received while we were at the hospital.”

“Very well. The rest of the family will be notified of this development and they will act accordingly.” There was a threatening note to his voice that made Alexa worried about anyone who might interfere with his plans. Arcturus didn't seem like a person to be trifled with. Not in the least. When the conversation halted, Rusty popped back with a tray of drinks.

“Dinner is being served in fifteen minutes.”

“Thank you, Rusty.” Alphard waved his hand in dismissal and the Elf disappeared. After that everyone took to their drinks and the conversation continued on a much lighter note.

Alexa tuned out when Alphard and Arcturus began talking about some business investments the family was involved in. The whole thing was worrisome to say the least. She could definitely do without the public scrutiny. Hopefully the public would soon forget about her little explosion before-

_What the fuck?_

She felt a light, barely-there tingle in the back of her head. Her eyes widened in astonishment when they met Arcturus' piercing eyes directly and the prodding turned into the distinct feeling of mental intrusion from a Legilimens. Panicking, she violently slammed down her walls and pushed him out using brute force.

While he still somehow managed to participate in the conversation with her parents, the task proved severely distracting. Additionally, he was unprepared for any pushback. That's probably the thing that saved her, since the man had the element of surprise on his side. She was shocked that anyone would attempt Legillimency on an infant. Even for House Black that seemed a bit over the top. However, she wouldn't be caught unaware ever again.

Arcturus' pewter eyes went out of focus for a moment, his mouth tightened in grim determination. The intrusion was more forceful this time and much more meticulous. The precision strike challenged her defences much more significantly, but Alexa managed to push him out again. Arcturus leaned back, now giving up on trying to converse with her parents. His eyes narrowed right on Alexa's and it was in that moment, when she realised just how severely she'd screwed this thing up.

No child could have such strong Occlumency shields. Not even a natural Occlumens had barriers this solid and refined. She should've projected false thoughts instead, but she was caught off guard and didn't think logically. Arcturus established a connection again and although she strained her Occlumecy walls to ready herself for another assault, this time he didn't even attempt to breach her defences. Alexa sucked in a breath as his cold voice resounded directly in her mind.

“ _Who are you?_ ”

_Shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The jig is up already, huh?  
> Leave it to the Blacks to try mind reading on babies. I wonder if you expected this turn of events :)  
> Last time some people made very constructive comment, which I am very grateful for. I took them into account and made some improvements, which I hope made the story a bit easier to read.  
> If you have anything to tell me, positive or negative, please do. If there are any questions, I'd be happy to answer them or clear up any confusion.  
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will stick around for the next one :) Cheers!


	3. Chapter 3

“ _Who are you?_ ”

For all her experience in war, mayhem, torture and death, she was utterly unprepared for this question. What the hell was she supposed to say to that? Frantically, she tried to come up with an answer, but came up empty handed. Her heart was beating a mile per minute. In her panic, there was only one thought that blasted aloud in her head.

“ _No one can know.”_

His pewter eyes narrowed, a calculating look appearing on his face. Arcturus was a Black first and foremost. Not just any Black, either, but the Head of their House. He was probably already considering how he could use this, whatever it is, to his advantage. For a moment he reengaged with her parents, but his mind had to be running a mile per minute. Just like hers.

_Fuck! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid fucking idiot! What if he tells? What if he calls a Mind Healer and I'll be exposed?! They'll think I'm insane! They'll lock me in the Janet Thickey Ward with mental patients! Wait, what if they notify the Ministry?! That ritual couldn't be Light Magic. Oh my fucking god, they can't put me into Azkaban while I'm in this body, right?! RIGHT?!_

Alexa was panicking. Her breathing was coming out in sharp wheezes, causing Lysette to look down at her daughter quizzically, then crease her face with worry.

“I think she's getting upset, I'll have Daisy take her to her room...”

“No need. Let me take her.” Arcturus told her gruffly, to the shock of everyone present. It would've been a pleasant offer, if not for the tone of it. Never in the history of mankind had those words sounded so threatening. “I'm quite good at calming children.”

Alexa nearly fainted then and there. There was some silent communication happening between her parents. Finally, Alphard wiped the look of astonishment from his face and gave a curt nod. Her mother, though hesitantly, stood up to hand her off to Lord Black. Alexa nearly had a full-blown heart attack when the older aristocrat picked her up. He held her up to his face and peered down, furrowing his bushy brows. Her eyes widened.

 _Should I cry? Maybe I should cry, Mother will take me then_ -

Arcturus narrowed his eyes into slits, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking about. A slight prickling in the back of her head alerted Alexa to his present within the confines of her mind.

“ _Calm down, you little imposter. Don't alert anyone until I'm done questioning you.”_

THAT was not exactly a comforting thought. She narrowed her eyes in return, then took a deep breath to calm herself. Loathe as she was to admit it, if her parents caught a whiff of something being truly wrong, her cover would fall apart like a house of cards. Arcturus merely quirked a brow, clearly unimpressed by the scathing look he was getting from the new-born girl.

“ _Fine.”_ she spat in response, whilst simultaneously making sure that her Occlumency shields were as close to impenetrable as she could get them. Arcturus spared a glance to her worried parents.

“I think she would benefit from a moment of quiet.” he said, this time aloud. Alphard had a cautiously questioning look on his face, but quickly wiped it away. He was a Black after all and therefore an expert at concealing his emotions.

“You should check on dinner anyway, shouldn't you, darling?”

Lysette tried to covertly give her husband a death glare, but all she received in return was an apologetic shrug. Alexa felt her lips curl. They weren't nearly as covert about it as they thought.

“That I should. Excuse me, my Lord.” she said with a sickeningly sweet inflection, then left the room after throwing one last glare in Alphard's direction. She could see her father struggling not to wince. When his wife was gone, his shoulder tensed as if he was bracing himself for something.

“Is there a reason why you want to stay with my daughter alone?”

Alexa was surprised by the directness of his question. Previously it seemed that he was determined to avoid a confrontation with Arcturus. He still spoke respectfully, of course, anything else would be dangerous, but the earlier deference was gone from his voice. This time it was austere and to the point.

“Be back in five minutes.” Arcturus commanded dismissively. She could tell by his tone, that the man didn't expect any pushback. She was starting to understand just how influential the role of a Paterfamilias could be. However, one thing that Arcturus underestimated was how far the man in front of him would go for the sake of daughter.

“I want your word, Arcturus.” her father demanded grimly. “Give me your word as the Paterfamilias of House Black, that she will not be hurt.”

Her mouth fell open. This was the first time he didn't call Arcturus “my Lord” ans she wasn't the only one that caught it either, judging by the tick in the older man's jaw. As well as he composed himself, she could tell Arcturus was PISSED. His nostrils flared on a heavy exhale, his lips pressed tightly together. He was clearly unused to being challenged. He glanced at Alexa and once again spared a moment to calculate the potential risks and rewards. It didn't exactly herald good news that her father was afraid she might be killed by one of their family members.

_What the hell kind of a family is this?_

“Very well.” he finally agreed, while glowering forebodingly at the same time. “I, Arcturus Phineas Black the Third, give my word as Head of the Most Ancient and Noble House Black, that Alexandrine Cassiopeia Black will not be harmed by my hand in the absence of her father.”

Alexa felt the swirling of Magic around him and realised that such an oath must've been either magically or legally binding. He did leave himself a pretty obvious way out of it, but still. Her father looked immensely relieved, if a bit suspicious, but nodded in the end. Alphard placed a warm hand on her hand and sighed before walking out.

She didn't begrudge him for leaving. Clearly he did so with a heavy heart. That he managed to extort Arcturus into making a legally binding oath was amazing in itself. It spoke well of him that he stood up to a man whom he clearly respected and probably had a healthy amount of fear for. That, however, left her alone with Arcturus and the severe look on his face didn't bode well.

He placed her on the sofa and took out his wand. She couldn't help, but flinch when he pointed it at her. There were many moments when she felt defenceless during the war, but never like this. This was something entirely different. Never has she been at someone's mercy to this degree. Her new life was entirely in Arcturus' hands. He could have her exposed, locked up or killed.

They stared at each other for a moment. Then Arcturus started quietly murmuring spells, while slowly moving his wand over her body. She didn't know what they were, but they felt like some sort of Revealing Charm, a wave of Magic gently washing over her body. Knowing the Blacks, it was probably a more powerful, much darker version of them. A soft sheen surrounded Alexa. It turned from white, natural light to a soft blue, then finally a bright, brilliant cobalt before eventually dimming down and extinguishing. It was so quiet while Arcturus watched the light changing, that she jolted upon hearing his voice aloud.

“So, little imposter. How did you come to be?”

He continued on spellcasting and Alexa thought quickly, frantically trying to come up with a probable answer.

 _I could say I don't know,_ she thought, but immediately thought better of it. She had a feeling that such a response wouldn't predispose him positively to her predicament.

_Could she gaslight him into thinking he was succumbing to the Black madness?_

She looked up and encountered his dark, foreboding gaze.

_Maybe not. De-aging potion? That's just stupid. There's an antidote and she'd still get busted eventually. Then maybe a spell gone wrong? Or a potions accident?_

Well, that would get her into a whole other world of trouble. What potion? What spell? Who was she before it happened? How did she end up in someone's WOMB?

 _Good luck fibbing your way out of that one, genius..._ she thought with an eye roll. Her ideas got stupider by the second.

 _Possession_ _? No, that would sooner get me killed or fucking exorcised. I think I might finally be losing it..._

Would she even be able to fool him at all? Seldom do you meet someone so perceptive and intimidating, that even the thought of trying to lie to them makes you shiver.

_Fuck._

“You're running out of time, little imposter. Better give me something good before Alphard comes back or you'll find yourself facing some unpleasant circumstances.”

She didn't know what's more terrifying, the chilling look in his eye or the matter-of-fact tone to his voice. On second thought it was probably the ease with which he spoke the words. She had no doubt he would go through with it if push came to shove. And she REALLY didn't want to push him to that point. Arcturus lowered his wand, the frown even deeper on his face.

“ _Found nothing out of the ordinary?”_

Arcturus gave her a dark look as soon as she said it. The question may have sounded challenging, but was asked with genuine curiosity. If there was anything else that could give her away, she needed to know.

“No.”

Alexa took a deep breath and braced herself.

“ _I'm a Soul Traveller.”_

Arcturus' eyes widened in an uncharacteristic show of emotion and for a solid minute, he was rendered speechless. She would've laughed, if she wasn't so close to crying.

_Took me four days to be found out. Brightest witch of her age, my ass._

The older aristocrat cleared his throat.

“I am only accepting this, because at present there is no other explanation, but if you're lying to me...”

“ _I am not, I swear it's the truth.”_ she interrupted tiredly. _“You said it yourself. There is no other rational explanation. Believe me, I've spend the last ten minutes frantically trying to come up with one.”_

His eyes locked onto hers assessing for another long moment.

“Were you married to a Black?” The look on her face must've said it all, because he decided to clarify. “The scrolls are passed down from Head of House Black directly to his Heir, after said Heir reaches the age of maturity. Since you're a woman, you couldn't have been the Heir yourself, but you could've been married to one.”

His logic was sound. Draco was legally the only living member of House Black, thus making him the Heir of the family. But she didn't want to share any of this with Arcturus.

“ _No, I was only... a good friend to one.”_

Fortunately he allowed her to lay off this point and focused on the real issue at hand.

“How is that even possible? Soul Travelers are supposed to be a legend passed down within the Old Families. As far as I know, the ritual hasn't even been attempted in hundreds of years.” This time Arcturus didn't bother hiding his astonishment at the situation. She used his momentary distraction to find out more information.

“ _Are there any other scrolls like the ones the Blacks have?_ ”

The man spared her a shrewd look, telling her that he knew exactly what she was doing, but to her surprise, he answered nonetheless.

“There used to be, but most were destroyed to prevent more deaths. Too many ancient wizarding families went extinct when their Heirs made unsuccessful attempts at completing the ritual, only to die gruesome deaths instead of achieving the eternal glory they were seeking. Other families destroyed the scrolls, because they considered them too Dark. The Ministry destroyed all they could find. That's how the Malfoys lost theirs. It's not even illegal to have them anymore, because everyone forgot about their existence. Even we, for all our faults, destroyed the original translations.” he paused as a new thought occurred to him. “How did you manage...?”

He didn't specify whether he was asking about the ritual itself or the scroll, but she instantly knew that she couldn't tell him the specifics. Arcturus already knew too much and she couldn't trust him not to reveal this information to anyone else. If the consequences could be as bad as he implied, she couldn't allow for such a thing to happen again. This ritual she performed, the sacrifice she made in agony and blood... maybe it was hypocritical of her, but if the broader public got their hands on it... If Voldemort had access to it, or even any of his Death Eaters... no. That couldn't be.

“ _I translated the scroll myself. Took me weeks and I'm pretty sure parts of it were incomplete, but... here I am._ ” she told him cautiously. “ _How I survived when others did not, I don't know._ ”

“You must be a truly formidable witch, if that's the case. Only the most powerful of us could complete the ritual, according to the legend.” There was something akin to begrudging respect in Arcturus' voice. However the look of suspicion was still strong on his face. “I must ask: where did you come from?”

She was unable to comment on her “formidability”. The scrolls did say that an immense amount of Magical Energy was required for the ritual to be successful. The other fools probably didn't have access to a place where dozens of wizards and witches were murdered in cold blood.

“ _The future, but that is all I'm willing to say._ ” she admitted and his eyes hardened, filling with distrust. She could tell he was about to threaten her again. _“Even if you were to broadcast who I am to the world. It wouldn't do you any good to know. According to the scrolls, this is a different reality. Where I come from, Alphard died a childless bachelor. There was no Alexandrine Black, but there is now.”_

“So the world has changed already.” Arcturus nodded curtly, a grim look on his face. Their eyes met once more. Pewter to sapphire blue. “Alphard truly is a fool. There is nothing childlike about you.”

“ _What does that mean?”_ Alexa questioned, concerned for her cover again.

“Your eyes.” Arcturus said with a frown. “You see everything through the eyes of a warrior, like you are ready to brandish your wand the moment someone makes a sudden move. Your world... it wasn't a good one.”

It wasn't a question, but she still felt the need to answer.

“ _No, it wasn't.”_

The sadness in her voice, even if only in his mind, took him by surprise. A blankness took over his face as they both fell into silence. She could tell he was considering what to do with this predicament. Her heart was in her throat as she was waiting for the verdict under his assessing eyes.

The sound of an opening door sounded almost like an explosion. Alexa would've jumped if she wasn't laying down already. Arcturus, to his credit, stayed motionless. Her parents walked inside and Lysette immediately went for her daughter.

“ _I will keep your secret.”_

She almost fainted from relief.

After her parents made sure she was in the same state they left her in, they had her whisked away to her room by Daisy. She was relieved to have survived this confrontation with Arcturus, but wasn't delusional enough to think that the issue was somehow resolved. It was far from over. He could still change his mind about this, but even if he didn't, it was still a terrible thing that he knew in the first place. When she thought of all the ways he could extort her for knowledge about the future, her head started to spin.

_What an absolutely shit day._

* * *

She spent the next few days waiting for the hammer to drop. No matter his assurances, such a secret wasn't an easy thing to keep and she didn't trust Arcturus as far as she could throw him. She watched her parents like a hawk, searching for any, even the most minute difference in their behaviour. There was none.

Days went by in peace. She'd spent them in Lysette's arms, listening to her reading magical children's tales spoken with a heavy, French accent. Sometimes, when they were alone her mother would talk to her in some rapid fire French and, to her amusement, conversed in the same language with Wispy. Fortunately, her Muggle parents wanted her to learn a foreign language, so she's had some French lessons as a child and could understand some of what was being said. Now that her mother was from France, she was determined to brush up on her old, nearly forgotten skills and learn the language to perfection. It's not like she had anything else to do for a while.

Alphard popped in as often as he could, but it was easy to tell that he was busy with work. However, no matter how busy his day got, he would always spend a portion of it with his daughter. He took her outside of the Chateau under some heavy Warming Charms and showed her around the property, talking to her just like Lysette would, only in English.

The house turned out to be even larger than she anticipated. From the outside it looked like a real life castle. It was an imposing, two-story building made out of light, cream brick with an expansive garden in the front and back. The roofing was a dark, grey tile with heavy trims and there was even a tower in the East Wing of the Chateau. The front garden looked neat and perfectly symmetrical, a composition of white flowers, hedges and a gorgeous fountain made out of marble. A complete contrast to the rose garden in the back. That one was equally beautiful, but a lot less... formal. Red, pink and white roses grew around a stone pathway, leading towards her mother's greenhouse. The space was designated to be Lysette's space and Alphard was absolutely forbidden from going inside under pain of death. Apparently, he wasn't exactly a Herbology enthusiast, unlike his wife.

The rules were pretty simple. As long as he kept away from Lysette's garden, she wouldn't intrude upon his office. They each had their own, private space and only one person was allowed in both places, their daughter. Lysette already took her to the greenhouse once and they'd spent two hours going through every row twice, while her mother lectured on various, magical plants. The nerd gene inside Alexa was positive beaming by the end, enthralled by her mother's knowledge and expertise. Lysette really knew her way around a greenhouse, that's for sure.

Since Alphard wouldn't even walk into the greenhouse to put out a raging fire, he preferred to take Alexa to the pond nearby where they'd sit on the bench and watch the little fish swimming inside. The pond was obviously protected by Magic, because two weeks after Alexandrine's arrival, snow covered every surface of the property. The Chateau was surrounded by empty fields, except for an expensive forest on its left side. Alexa enjoyed the idea of living in the middle of nowhere, it would be quiet and private, exactly what she needed.

According to Alphard, the Selwyn's owned everything in horizon, from where they stood at the front of the Chateau. There was a stable, a vegetable garden ran by the Elves and a little hunter's hut in the forest. She knew her parents went horse-riding together every Sunday and she couldn't wait to accompany them when she was older.

Alphard already introduced Alexa a few horses and she was sure to show her appreciation. He was completely entranced by his daughter, anyone could tell. When she laughed, his eyes would never leave her face as if he was a man hypnotized. Lysette may have teased her husband about it, but obviously found it an endearing trait.

Unfortunately, her new life wasn't just sunshine and rainbows. After the article in the Daily Prophet was published and owls started pouring in from other members of their family, Alexa was faced with the harsh reality once again. Her parents flatly refused any invitations and ignored pointed inquiries for visits, but that had to end some time. They couldn't hide her away forever, especially not from the Blacks. It turned out they were quite a nosy bunch.

It didn't take a genius to deduce that Lysette and Druella had quite the animosity going on between them, from her mother's snide comments. Things would probably turn even more sour, when names of her Godparents were announced during this year's Winter Solstice celebration. Lysette told her husband, in no uncertain terms that Druella was an unacceptable choice and since Alphard vehemently protested his older sister- Walburga, that didn't leave them with many options.

Fortunately, they both quite happily settled on her namesake and Alphard's aunt- Cassiopeia. For her Godfather, Lysette decided to snub Druella even further and pick her husband- Cygnus. Alphard merely rolled his eyes at this, but didn't protest her choice. The two brothers were apparently on very good terms. Alexa had a feeling that Alphard wasn't a fan of his sister-in-law either and wondered what Druella may have done to earn such distrust from both of her parents. On the other hand, she was Bellatrix's mother so perhaps that was explanation enough.

All in all, she was slightly apprehensive of meeting the rest of the Blacks during the Holidays. She could only pray that none of them were as perceptive as Arcturus was. Still, Walburga and Orion would eventually become Sirius' parents. Druella and Cygnus, presumably already had at least Andromeda and Bellatrix, since Alphard often referred to his “nieces” plural. It was frustrating, not knowing what year it is, but it had to be before 1959, since Sirius wasn't born yet. She was hoping to find out just how far back she'd travelled, during the New Year's Eve celebration.

Finally, the Holidays were upon them. The Elves ran around the House for the past week, frantically decorating every room and preparing for a literal feast. Wispy especially was bossing everybody around, including both of her parents, which Lysette accepted with indulgence and amusement, and Alphard with frustrated grumbling under his breath. The Elves weren't the only busy creatures this past week. Her father was trying to finish his work sooner, in order to have a longer holiday with his family later. Lysette was the only one who took it all in stride, overseeing everything with a calm smile and her daughter in tow.

By the time the Winter Solstice came around and they were headed to Cygnus' and Druella's house, Alexa knew all the words to upwards of ten, French Christmas carols, because her mother took to singing them incessantly before she fell asleep. As if she needed any lullaby's to drop dead by the end of the day. She was tired all the time. Who knew being a baby was so damn exhausting?

* * *

December 21st 1958

Lysette looked gorgeous that day. She was wearing vibrant, red robes over a black dress. Her hair was up in an elaborate bun full of curls and a red ribbon woven through them. The jewels were a bright gold this time and some part of Alexa was deeply amused to see her wearing Gryffindor colours to a house full of snakes. She felt like she was able to get to know her mother well in those few weeks and she wouldn't be surprised if Lysette did it on purpose. If someone questioned her about it, as a Beauxbatons graduate she'd be able to convincingly feign ignorance. This resulted in Alphard wearing a red shirt, which he did without blinking an eye.

Alexa herself was wearing a loose, berry coloured dress and warm, black tights made out of wool. Daisy spent upwards of an hour trying to decide what she should dress her in, only for Lysette to walk in and tell her she'd already picked something out. It was hilarious to see how relieved Daisy was to be free of this responsibility.

In no time at all, Alexa grew terribly attached to the shy Elf. She found her utterly adorable and the feeling was apparently mutual. When her parents were both busy, they'd spend all of that time together and she knew for sure that Daisy was popping in during the night to check on her every half hour. She'd crank open one eye, see the little Elf peering down at her with those huge, blue eyes and fall back asleep. One suspicious noise in the nursery and the Elf was there. Other Elves visited too, mostly Wispy, but it seemed that everyone wanted to see the “Little Lady Black” at some point.

When they went through the floo, they were greeted by the man of the house himself. Cygnus reminded her very much of her father. They had the same grey eyes and dark hair, only his was short and had a slight curl to them. Alphard was only slightly taller than his brother and apparently a few years older. He looked elegant and confident in his expensive, Slytherin green robes. His most notable feature was probably a thick, neatly trimmed goatee, which he was rubbing pensively when they arrived.

“Welcome Brother, Lysette.” He made a broad, inviting gesture and approached confidently, then kissed the back of Lysette's hand and exchanged a firm handshake with Alphard. “You're the first ones here.”

“Thank you for having us, Cygnus.” her mother smiled warmly. “How are you?”

“Very well, thank you.” he responded with a slight bow, then gave into temptation and focused his attention on their daughter. “And is that the little prodigy?”

“Hardly a prodigy, eats and poops just like yours did.” Alphard told him with a dismissive wave of his hand.

If she didn't know he was purposefully downplaying it, she might've taken offence. As it was, Alexa was just grateful that he was doing his best to protect her. Unfortunately if the glint in Cygnus' eye was anything to go by, he wasn't fooled. The man chuckled.

“Mine didn't blow things up straight out of the womb, but you know that already.”

“Any signs from Cissy?” her father asked curiously. Cygnus shook his head.

“Not really, no, but she's only three years old so we've go plenty of time. Dromeda didn't start showing until a year ago and she's six already.”

“What about Bella? Lysette questioned curiously. Cygnus' smile got a bit wider.

“Started throwing her dolls around when she was two. The girls are in the sitting room, they're excited to see you, Al.”

“They'd better be, I brought gifts.” her father laughed, then they followed Cygnus out of the room.

The sitting room reminded her of the time when Harry and Ron recounted how the Slytherin Common Room looked like. Dark green sofas and rugs, a big fireplace made out of dark stone, plenty of statues and ornaments. It had quite a vintage feel to it, as well as a horrible wallpaper with some sort of swirly, dirty gold pattern. She could only guess how old this house was, but if she had to, she'd put her money on it being ancient. The lady of the manor already awaited them inside.

Druella looked almost exactly like Narcissa did when it came to her colouring. The same ice blue eyes and pin straight, platinum hair. Only Narcissa's facial features was always more dainty and delicate, while Druella reminded her more of adult Bellatrix in that respect. She had similarly heavy-lidded eyes, a strong jaw and thin lips. Her skin had a slight rosy hue, which apparently all of her daughters inherited. Druella was the perfect image of a Pureblood society wife. Beautiful, elegant and cold. Accompanied by her three daughters, she made quite the picture.

Bellatrix, whose hair was already reaching half-way down her back, looked about seven or eight years old. Her trademark, dark corkscrew curls looked a bit more tame than in her adult years, but her eyes, so deeply brown that they appeared black, looked exactly the same. Save for the unhinged glints, that Alexa was used to seeing inside them. Today Bellatrix was calm and aloof, if slightly bored, at their family gathering.

Six-year-old Andromeda, standing right next to her older sister, was only a few centimetres shorter. Her eyes were just as brown as her chocolate-coloured hair. She was smiling pleasantly when they entered, her complexion appearing a bit warmer than the rest of the girls.

Narcissa on the other hand looked like a little cherub with her pink cheeks, blue eyes and a full head of platinum blonde hair. As a three-year-old, she was absolutely adorable and it was easy to imagine how she became such a beauty as an adult. She stood next to her sister, twirling with impatience as the pleasantries were exchanged.

“Welcome to our home.” Druella echoed her husband, though her smile came out a touch more strained in comparison. “Please, make yourselves comfortable.”

“Thank you.” her father said, bowing formally.

When Alphard was done paying his respects and the ladies briskly kissed each other's cheeks, Lysette sat down on the couch, which was apparently a signal for everyone else to do so. The three little girls were craning their necks to see the baby, but planted themselves firmly on the couch under their mother's harsh gaze. A moment later an Elf popped into the room.

“Refreshments?” Druella offered with an aloof cordiality. Everyone relayed their choice of drink and the pillowcase-clad Elf disappeared. “So, tell us Lysette, how are you finding motherhood?”

“Fulfilling.” her mother smiled sweetly. “Let me present my daughter, Alexandrine Cassiopeia Black.”

This brought the attention back on Alexa and she had a strong suspicion that her mother only said that, because she didn't want to spend a minute longer conversing with Druella. It was inevitable either way, so they might as well get it over with. Druella swiped her ice blue eyes across Alexa's face, then theatrically furrowed her brow, feigning concern.

“Looks a bit frail, is the poor dear alright?”

“Perfectly healthy.” Lysette responded with a smile that could make one's jaw cramp from all the effort she put into it.

“A beautiful child.” Cygnus added with a polite smile. “She reminds me of our Bella when she was little, with all those dark curls.”

_God help me._

“Looks nothing like her.” his wife quipped swiftly, as if offended by the very idea.

_Well, thank God for small mercies, I guess._

“Do you want to come closer, dears?” Lysette offered, seeing little Narcissa almost fall of the couch in her attempt to lean closer. It was probably good to change the topic anyway.

“Yes!” Andromeda nodded quickly and appeared in front of them in under a second, still slightly cross-eyed from squinting so hard. She opened her mouth prettily. “Oh! She's so cute! Cissy look!”

Her sister didn't need more encouragement, but attempted a more graceful approach. Bella rolled her eyes, but followed along, feigning disinterest in a way only a seven-year-old can pull off.

“Pretty.” Little Narcissa smiled brightly, nodding along with her older sister. Bellatrix tilted her head, looking at the baby curiously.

“Her hair does look a little bit like mine.” she finally commented, then turned to tease her little sister. “She's even cuter than Cissy.”

“Not true!” she exclaimed in outrage, making Andromeda chuckle.

“She's teasing you Cissy, you know you're the cutest.” she told her little sister fondly, smoothing out her blonde hair. Bellatrix laughed merrily and kissed Narcissa on top of her head.

“It's all true, Cissy, so don't worry.”

Her parents looked on in amusement, but Alexa found herself curious, witnessing their dynamic for the first time. They all seemed very close. Bellatrix came back to sit next to her mother and Narcissa went along without a thought, climbing on the couch with her sister's help. Andromeda smiled brightly at Alphard and Lysette, but followed after her sisters too.

The Elf popped back in with their drinks and everyone helped themselves. Alphard took the opportunity to give them the news.

“We want to ask you, to serve as Alexandrine's Godfather, Cygnus.”

“It would be an honour.” he said with an easy smile, then came to pick up his Goddaughter. “She really is a beauty... and so calm, too. Won't give me much trouble, will she?”

“Don't be so sure.” Lysette laughed happily. “She's a little daredevil this one. Caught her trying to crawl just yesterday.”

“Really?” his eyes glinted in delight. “She looks so peaceful now, I wouldn't have guessed. An incoming Slytherin, then?”

Alexa was not amused at this suggestion. She reached out and grabbed his goatee, yanking as hard as her baby fists allowed. Cygnus grunted, but then his chest rumbled from laughter.

“My mistake. A handful, then. Can't wait.” he chuckled, looking down at his Goddaughter with bright, amused eyes. “You're a cunning one, aren't you? Another opinionated little witch for my growing collection.”

“I wouldn't be surprised at all.” Alphard told his brother with a smile. “Bella, maybe you would like to hold her for a bit?”

“Me?” she looked baffled at the suggestion, but Andromeda elbowed her in the side. “Yes, of course.”

“Careful now.” Cygnus told his daughter sternly, while putting Alexa in Bella's arms.

“You can put her on your knees.” Lysette suggested with a smile and the girl did so immediately.

Alexa scrunched up her face. Here she was in the arms of Bellatrix Black, the person who's appeared in her nightmares more times than she could count. The girl smiled proudly at her accomplishment and started running her fingers over her chest, trying to make her laugh.

_Oh my, how the tables have turned._

Soon, all three girls were bent over Alexa, making silly faces in an attempt to entertain her. Druella cleared her throat. If she could take a picture of this scene and send the frame to the adult Bellatrix, she would.

“I'm sure the Godparents will do a wonderful job. I know Cygnus will.” she said slyly, a smirk playing on her face. Lysette didn't allow her thoughts to wonder off too far.

“Cassiopeia will be wonderful as well, of course. We've already sent her a letter with an invitation to the Chateau.” her saccharine tone of voice didn't ease the blow in the least. Druella's smile froze on her face. It took about three seconds for the mask to slip back into place.

“I'm sure she'll be delighted by the news.” she said coolly, sparing a short glance at the baby in question. Cygnus didn't seem offended on his wife's behalf. If anything, he looked amused by this development.

“Didn't want to ask Burga, Brother?

Alphard's voice sounded pained.

“Not especially, no.”

Cygnus chuckled.

“Well, she is here, so you'll be able to tell her soon.”

She heard her father groan as Cygnus left to greet his other guests. While he was gone, Druella deigned to speak to her brother-in-law.

“I've heard Arcturus has made an appearance.”

“He has.” Alphard nodded politely. “He visited for dinner a few weeks ago.”

Her icy, blue eyes shimmered with something akin to desperate hunger that even her perfectly practised mask of indifference couldn't conceal. Suddenly Alexa had a good idea, about how Druella managed to alienate both of her parents. She was, simply put, a gossip. Alexa felt herself getting annoyed already. After spending years in the same dormitory as Lavender Brown, she was almost allergic to vapid gossips. Druella was clearly about to ask another question, but was interrupted by the arrival of new guests.

Walburga looked almost exactly as she did on her portrait in Grimmuald place, only a few years younger. Her hair was dark as the night sky, tightly coiffed on top of her head. She was a woman with severe features, thin lips, prominent cheekbones and jawline, highly arched brows. In her own, unique way, she was very pretty, only her looks were overwhelmed by her heavy personality. Bird-like, grey eyes swept over fellow Blacks with impressive astuteness and sharpness. Even on this festive occasion, Sirius' future mother wore simple, but elegant black robes. Just like Druella, she was a tall, thin woman, but with more generous curves to her silhouette.

Walburga appeared slightly apprehensive, but composed, her back was ramrod straight as she accompanied her husband inside. Orion, just like his wife, looked exactly like Alexa had imagined him. He couldn't be much older than her father, though there were a few lines on his face already. Shortly cropped, jet black hair and grey eyes, almost exact replica's of his wife's, reminded Alexa once again, that the two were second cousins.

She wondered if that might be the reason why they had such trouble conceiving a child despite being married for ten years. Still, she knew they would have some luck pretty soon. Sirius was born sometime in November of 1959, if she remembered correctly and that couldn't be far from now.

Orion may have been a few centimetres shorter than Walburga, but that didn't make him less intimidating. If anything, he was a bit like a younger version of Arcturus with those thick, bushy brows and cool, imposing demeanour.

Following their arrival, another round of formal greetings and pleasantries ensued, making Alexa a bit less appreciative of the Pureblood etiquette. It could be terribly tedious sometimes. Walburga and Druella were quite clearly friends, as their greeting seemed much warmer then that with her mother. Lysette took it all in stride, welcoming Walburga with a polite smile. Alexa was shocked to see the woman's eyes softening, after zooming in on her, still in Bellatrix's arms.

“This is the little one?” she said softly, looking back at Lysette. “May I?”

“Of course.” Lysette agreed graciously. Belle pouted a bit when handing her off, which brought a slight quirk to Alexa's lips. Next moment she was picked up and expertly cradled to Walburga's wide bosom.

“She's a beauty... and clearly a Black, though she has your family's blue eyes.” she said softly, without looking away from Alexa, then cleared her throat. “You can be proud, Lysette. And you too, brother.”

Alphard just nodded, looking a bit surprised. His wife gave him a smile, reaching out to hold his hand.

“You can keep holding her, if you'd like.”

Alexa shot her mother a dirty look, which definitely went unnoticed. That whole hand-over-the-baby game was getting a bit tiresome. She couldn't wait to start walking. Walburga, however, looked overjoyed at the prospect of holding her some more. She sat down between Orion and Alphard.

“You have been very blessed.” Orion nodded in agreement with his wife. “We can only hope to be similarly blessed some day.”

Walburga's face fell for a fleeting second, but it happened so quickly, had she blinked, she would've missed it. In the next moment she was perfectly composed again and no one but Alexa, who was looking directly at her face, seemed to notice the change. The bitter note in Orion's voice, however, couldn't be missed. Cygnus took it upon himself to change the topic to a safer one.

“Alphard was just telling us who the Godparents will be. Cassiopeia and I will receive the honour.”

Another round of congratulations ensued, only slightly diminished by the scathing look Druella sent her husband.

Alexa was already exasperated and it hasn't even been half an hour. Is this how holidays will look like from now on? People who tortured her, watched her being tortured or the people who screwed them up badly enough to do so, sitting there, drinking coffee and snubbing each other for hours? Trying to out-Slytherin each other? Spitting venom like a pack of vipers?

_Now I know where the “Black Madness” comes from. This family will drive me up the fucking wall._

The evening seemed to absolutely devolve from there, with Cygnus and Druella sniping at each other at every opportunity, their daughters being sent away to be early and the rest of their guests trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy. While Alphard struck up a conversation about business with Orion, Lysette took Walburga aside to entertain her with stories about her new baby.

Alexa would've thought it a cruel thing to do, if not for the joy shimmering in Walburga's eyes. That in itself was huge, since getting Walburga to truly smile was no easy feat. Not in this mixed company anyway.

Lysette apparently understood her needs better than Alexa did, because she allowed her sister-in-law to keep holding Alexa to her hearts content.

“Are the renovations over in... your new property, I apologise, what was the name again?”

“Grimmuald Place.” Walburga answered in a surprising pleasant tone. She kept a cool distance towards Lysette, but was at least polite enough to keep up a civil conversation. Holding her apparently improved her mood tremendously and Alexa had a feeling that it was earning Lysette some points as well. “Some work is still being done in the kitchens, but the living space is entirely done. You'll soon be invited, of course.”

“And we'll be delighted to receive the invitation when it comes. The Chateau is always open if you would like to visit, Walburga.” Lysette told her with a genuine smile, which Walburga apparently read as pity, because her mouth tightened into a thin line.

“I would never impose.”

Her mother seemed a bit confused at this change in tone, but glossed over it with ease.

“It would be no imposition at all. Actually, would you mind keeping an eye on Alexandrine for a moment? I have to speak with my husband.”

_Mother, you sly vixen._

“Of course.” Walburga nodded curtly. “Take your time, she's in good hands.”

Lysette went off, barely concealing a smile. It looked like her daughter was indeed in good hands and Alexa had to agree this time.

Walburga's longing for a child was so obvious that even years of a stifling existence as one of the Blacks didn't aid in hiding it. She had to wonder what happened to this woman that would make her disown her own son later in life, but maybe it did make sense. Alexa got the feeling that her need for a child was as much fuelled by motherly instincts as it was by the need to fulfil her duty as a member of her House and a Pureblood wife.

It fit with everything she's heard about her from Sirius. There was nothing worse in Walburga's eyes than being a failure to House Black. Her resentment from being treated as such, never really went away. For all the hardships she's endured before Sirius was even born to culminate in him “abandoning” the same family later in life, must've felt like the ultimate betrayal.

A decade spent in such a hostile environment could make anyone's heart harden. Alexa had some experience with such a thing and found herself sympathising with Walburga Black of all people.

Not that it constituted a good enough excuse. Sure, her life wasn't exactly roses and daisies, but she was an adult. Sirius was sixteen when she kicked him out of her home and hung him out to dry, her own flesh and blood. For everything that she went through in that last decade as Hermione, for all the sins she's committed and blood she's spilled, that was one line she'd never cross. Everything was done to protect her loved ones. Every moment of it.

Alexa was so lost in her own thoughts, that she missed the moment when Walburga's eyes lost their jubilance and veiled over with sadness.

“She'd be just your age now.” she whispered softly, her voice breaking. Alexa stiffened as the meaning of her words truly hit her. “My Ankaa. That's exactly how I imagined her. Dark hair, tiny, little nose.”

She touched Alexa's nose with the tip of her finger, then traced it over her warm cheek. Her shoulders shook slightly from effort as she fought with tears. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes to compose herself. When footsteps sounded nearby, she immediately fixed her posture and put that cold, austere façade back on her face.

“Was she being good?” Lysette asked with a smile. Walburga nodded. “Great, we'll be leaving soon. It's way over her bedtime. I'm surprised she's not being cranky about it.”

Alexa scrunched up her face.

_Well, excuse me, but I get a bit tired with this whole baby business. I need my fifteen hours of sleep._

Truth to be told, she didn't even notice it was so late. Staying in the snake pit turned out way too interesting to fall asleep.

“No worries, she's an angel. You can take her now.”

Lysette did so, a bit surprised that Walburga was handing her off so easily. If she saw the slight redness in Walburga's eyes, she wisely refrained from mentioning it. Cygnus' announcement intruded on their conversation.

“Father is here.”

Those simple, three words seemed to shift the atmosphere completely. Lysette's lips feel into a slight pout and Walburga steeled herself, somehow growing taller within a second. Both women went to stand by their husbands. This time when Cygnus was gone no one spoke, as if everyone present was just straining in anticipation. When he came back it was in the company of an older gentleman, a good foot shorter than his son.

Pollux Black, whose name she still somehow remembered from the Grimmuald Place tapestry, had those same typical features of House Black. Grey eyes, glossy, black hair, in this case straight and cropped somewhere around the ears. There was no shortage of sharp angles on his face, which along with his low brow and aquiline nose gave him a hawk-like appearance. If he had a top hat on, he'd look a bit like Ebenezer Scrooge from “ _A Christmas Carol_ ”. In short, she had a distinct feeling that the man was about to ruin Christmas.

His cool, steel grey eyes seemed to zoom in on Alexa, still laying in her mother's arms. Immediately, she had a flashback of meeting Arcturus and a cold sweat erupted on her forehead. She must've made some sort of weird sound, because her father had to cough to conceal a chuckle.

“You don't like him either, do you princess? Don't worry, nobody does.” he whispered under his breath, barely moving his lips. Lysette elbowed him covertly, prompting a another fake cough. Thankfully Pollux was busy greeting Druella, because that exchange wasn't stealthy at all. After greeting their hosts, he approached the guests.

“Son, daughter. I see the Holidays are finding you well.”

“Father.” Alphard and Walburga greeted him, bowing and curtsying respectively.

“And this is?” he unceremoniously pointed at Alexa, his grey eyes darting towards her blue ones.

The slight buzz in her head was no surprise.

_This fucking family, I swear to God._

Behind her Occlumency walls, she was seething, but in front of them she projected a perfectly innocuous picture o childish gullibility.

It's not like it couldn't be done. Her mistake was underestimating the depravity of this family, but no more. Since meeting Arcturus, she's spent every waking moment practising for this very occasion. She would never allow herself to be caught off guard in this way ever again.

Alexa made sure her eyes fluttered around the room, never allowing for direct contact. That didn't stop his efforts, but it did weaken them. The thoughts she projected at him were a chaotic web of sleepiness, appreciation for her mother's warmth as she held her and all the smells she could pick up on nearby, namely Orion's peppery cologne. No fully formed sentences that could betray her level of maturity, no clear pictures, no streamline, fluid thought processes.

Finding nothing out of the ordinary, Pollux got bored and left as quickly as he had arrived, turning his attention to her mother instead. She breathed a sigh of relief.

“Alexandrine Cassiopeia Black.” Lysette told him confidently, keeping still when his eyes narrowed at his daughter-in-law.

“Alexandrine?”

“It is not a traditional name in House Black.” Druella pointed out unnecessarily. Lysette's gaze hardened, but she didn't deign the woman with the smallest of glances, keeping her eyes firmly set on Pollux.

“Neither is Narcissa. Alexandrine was the name of my beloved Godmother and I will not apologize for commemorating her.” Lysette spoke harshly, without cow-towing to the pressure. It spoke volumes about her opinion on Pollux, since she wasn't half as brazen in front of Arcturus.

“I support my wife in this decision.” Alphard said stonily, staring down his father, who grimaced.

“Another girl. Will none of my children provide an Heir for our House?”

He spared an uninterested glance at the babe in question, but then his eyes narrowed on his own daughter. Walburga stayed stiff and unmoving.

“We are still trying, father.”

Her voice was much quieter than before. Pollux clenched his jaw in anger, readying himself to make, an undoubtedly scathing, comment. Seeing the blank face of his sister, Cygnus decided to intervene.

“We're not giving up either, father. I'm sure Alphard and Lysette will have more as well.”

“Make sure that you do.” Pollux spat, giving both Walburga and Alphard a harsh glare. “It is a disgrace to our House, four marriages and no Heirs to speak of.”

_Wait, four? Druella and Cygnus, Orion and Walburga, Lysette and Alphard... Oh, that's right. Orion has a sister- Lucretia- the one married to a Prewett._

Sirius mentioned it once. That was his family connection to Molly Weasley, who was born a Prewett. But that would make Alexa related to Molly too, however distantly. _Cool._

Well, not as cool when she had to watch her “family” get dressed down by this mean old man. Did he not care at all what his words were doing to his daughter? Was he trying to humiliate her? She's never seen a face as empty as Walburga's during his little speech. Never mind that she was a bitch to her son, when here she stood, getting the exact same treatment from her own father.

_If this is where she learned about parenting, no wonder Sirius had such a shit time._

Angry on Walburga's behalf, she decided to throw a fit. Everyone who stood nearby, flinched. The sound of her pitiful wail made their ears ring. Pollux stepped back. Druella made a disgusted face, because it's not as if she's ever heard a baby cry, what with her three daughters...

Cygnus' brows flew into his hairline.

“I see what you meant. My Goddaughter has a good set of lungs on her.”

Lysette was busy trying to calm he daughter, so it was Alphard who made the appropriate excuses.

“I think's that's our signal to leave. It's time to put this one to bed. If you'll excuse us.”

A short round of rushed goodbyes ensued and a minute later they were ready to go.

“I'll escort you to the floo.” Cygnus offered courteously, leading them out of the room.

_And the Oscar for best performance goes to..._

The doors to the receiving room locked behind them.

_And scene._

When her cries abruptly cut out, the three adult looked at her quizzically. Cygnus was the first to break into chuckles.

“Little daredevil. If I could use that method to get away from my father, I'd do it too.”

“Might want to give it a go next time.” Lysette laughed, kissing her daughters red cheeks. Alphard's affectionate smile melted away too quickly.

“We shouldn't leave him alone with Burga. Maybe I should stay...”

Cygnus waved him away.

“Don't worry, I can handle it. Besides, it's not like she would appreciate it anyway.”

“True enough.” her father sighed heavily, then the two brothers shook hands. Lysette was ready to extend her hand, but Cygnus surprised her with a warm kiss on the cheek.

“Take good care of my Goddaughter. I will need her to break up droll parties in the future.” he caressed Alexa's cheek as a goodbye and ushered them to the fireplace.

As she went to sleep that night, Walburga was still vividly on her mind. Ankaa was the name she chose for her unborn daughter. The brightest star in the Phoenix constellation.

How could Pollux treat her in this way so soon after her miscarriage? It couldn't be long ago, if the baby was supposed to be her own age. For Walburga to know the gender, she had to be a few months along. So no more than six months ago has she suffered this personal tragedy and here he was, berating her for being unable to provide an Heir.

_What an utter pig._

Did he even know, though? Her parents certainly didn't seem to. She recalled their conversation about Walburga's and Orion's efforts to conceive. They were sympathetic, but not to the degree they would've been, if they had any idea about a recent miscarriage occurring. If Walburga's own brother didn't know, perhaps her father didn't either. Alexa couldn't imagine why anyone would want to share such an experience with the man.

In fact, if she had to bet money, she'd bet it on Walburga concealing her state from everyone, possibly even her husband, until she was sure the pregnancy would be safely carried to term. What if it wasn't the first time, either? And no one had the slightest clue about what she was going through. If Sirius knew, perhaps he would've been more sympathetic towards her in the future.

After that night Alexa decided that if there was anything she could do to ease the woman's burden and make her life, and by extension her son's life better, she wouldn't hesitate to do so. They were now both part of her family after all.

* * *

January 27th 2000

Even though she was the one who threw it, she still flinched when the glass shattered against the wall. Ron's eyes almost bugged out of his skull.

“Hermione what the hell?! Have you gone mental?”

“Oh fuck off, Ronald! If you could get your head out of your ass for one second, maybe you'd understand why I'm angry!”

His ears were quickly turning red. She hoped he finally felt some shame, but his next sentence quickly disillusioned her of that notion.

“Maybe I need someone to talk to...!”

“I don't care! Why does it always have to be about you?! What about what I need?!

They were both getting angrier by the minute.

“Oh I don't know, maybe because half of my family is dead!” he roared, frantically waving his hands around.

It's been seven months since George passed away and she had enough of hearing about it when every day someone else died on them. Now more than ever his selfishness was taking a toll on her.

“Spare me the histrionics, Ronald. You're not the only one who's just lost someone important! You're not the only one who's grieving, you conceited prick!”

“McGonagall was your teacher, not your fucking mother!” he thundered, but then realised what came out of his mouth and immediately tried to backtrack. “Fuck, Hermione, I'm so sorry. I know how close you two got for the past two years...”

He kept rambling on apologetically and she just stared disbelievingly. That he would say such a thing mere two weeks after Minerva's death, shocked her to her core.

What happened to him? Ron used to be so caring, so empathetic? Did all the loss and the perpetual state of grief distort his character so much that he was unable to feel compassion for the girl he claimed to love?

Not only was Minerva her mentor and close friend since The Battle, she literally pulled her out of depression after Harry's death. And even if all that wasn't true... Ron wasn't the only one who lost his parents to this war. But he was the only one who never allowed anyone to forget about it.

If he was a bit wiser, the wild look in her eyes would warn him away, but Ron was never wise. So when he continued to approach her, his hands raise in a sign of defeat, she extended her hand and without even thinking of an appropriate spell, blasted him away with raw Magic. She didn't wait to see what happened when he collided with the wall or even if he shattered just as the glass did beforehand. Hermione spun on her heel and left the room.

Just as she shut the door to Ron's room, she had to pause, lest she collide with a panicked Parvati.

“What happened?!”

“Your boyfriend's inside. If there's anything left of him, you can go ahead and pick up the pieces.” the adrenaline pounding her head prevented Hermione from hearing how absolutely glacial her voice sounded.

The expression of absolute shock on Parvati's face was enough for an ache to appear in her heart. Without saying a word more, she left her standing in the corridor, rooted to the spot.

The bracing, winter air sobered her in under ten seconds. _Fuck!_

Her heart was still pounding, but the gravity of her actions finally hit home. A bitter chuckle sounded foreign when coming from her throat.

Maybe Ron wasn't the only one who has changed. Truth to be told all of them were unrecognizable. Colder, harder, more ruthless. But she didn't expect it out of her own mouth, nor from her own hand. She didn't expect to find herself in a single moment, when she didn't care if someone lived or died. Didn't expect to give in to anger and ruthlessness.

Hermione took a deep, steadying breath. She would treat it like what it was, a serious wake up call. Loud to the point of being deafening. Good. Maybe that's how loud it needed to be for her to hear it. One things was for damn sure, though.

She and Ron were over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> This chapter turned out even longer than the last one, but it think it made sense to finish it here. I will try to continue posting one, long ass chapter per week and we'll see how that goes.  
> I really wanted to post it before Christmas so here you go and Happy Holidays :)
> 
> There will be one more chapter with Hermione/Alexa as a baby, because we do have an important event coming up. Then we will be doing a time jump and I would like your input on how you want this done. We can either meet Alexa again in her fourth year of school or we can check up on her every few years for some important events.  
> To be honest I'm leaning towards including some more important milestones in between. Choosing her wand, growing up with Sirius and Regulus, that sort of thing.  
> I'm asking because I don't want you all to get bored before we get to the meat od the story. Be sure to let me know which solution you prefer. If there are any specific milestones you would like to read about, make suggestions and I'll definitely consider it.
> 
> Thank you for reading this chapter and, once again, Happy Holidays :)


	4. Chapter 4

Christmas came and went, as it does every year. Alexa was actually shocked by how many gifts she's received. While some were more reasonable, like the beautiful winter coat she got from Walburga, others bordered on ridiculous.

Primarily, the pony she got from her father and the white gold bracelet from Cygnus. Why they thought jewels and animals to be appropriate gifts for a three-week-old baby, she had no clue. Lysette gifted her beloved daughter an ornate music box, which she enchanted to play the tune of her favourite, French lullaby. It was a moving gift, though entirely different from the rest of her extravagant collection.

The coat from Walburga was a close favourite. It was fitted and completely white, with fur around the neckline, sleeves and the hem. It looked elegant and terribly expensive, making her slightly ashamed of how much she actually loved it. The coat was enchanted to always fit the wearer, meaning it would grow along with her. There were also water repelling and warming charms woven into the material, so neither the rain nor the cold would give her any trouble.

Unfortunately, plenty of time would pass before she was able to wear it, since all intentions of carefree fun in the snow had to be indefinitely postponed when Lysette fell sick.

* * *

January 1st 1959

“Wispy, I love you more than I loved my own mother, but I'm going to need you to back up for a moment.” her voice was full of amusement as she shooed away the unimpressed Elf.

“Lady Selwyn needs to care for herself. Wispy be making an herbal tea for Mistress.” she said in a tone of command and disappeared before Lysette could make another sound of protest.

Alexa watched her mother giggle, then pick her up and spin her around the room.

“Someday, if you're very lucky little dove, she'll boss you around just like she does for me.” Lysette told her daughter fondly, a sunny smile blooming on her face. “Don't worry, my heart, mommy is just feeling a little bit under the weather.” she leaned into her daughter's ear, as if to tell her a secret. “You would be too, if you spent three hours being spun around on the dance floor by your father.” She then erupted into giggles again and spun in a circle.

It was difficult not to smile when Lysette laughed. Not only was the laughter itself incredibly infectious, but her face would also illuminate to the point of looking like the sun itself. Soon the room was filled with two, instead of one, laughing voices. The scene brought a smile to her father's face immediately upon walking in.

“What are you doing, darling?” he asked with a chuckle. Lysette stopped only long enough for him to kiss his daughter on the forehead.

“Teaching my dove how to fly, of course!” Wearing a teasing smile she spun around two more times, before finally being halted by her husband.

“You'll make her puke.” he chastised, while simultaneously wrapping his arms around her waist. Lysette scoffed, only slightly pacified by the warm embrace.

“She's a Lady. Ladies don't puke on themselves, thank you very much.” she admonished, while at the same time melting into his arms.

Alexa couldn't see her father's face, but knew he was laughing from the way his chest rumbled. Alphard rested his chin on his wife's shoulders.

“What is it that Wispy tells me about you being sick, huh?”

Try as he might to be casual, concern still creeped into his tone of voice. Lysette turned to face him with disbelief written all over her face.

“She told on me?! I can't believe that little meddler... Well, actually it is entirely believable.”

Alphard could only roll his eyes at his wife's antics.

“Lysette...”

The Frenchwoman threw her free hand into the air.

“Ask for one potion and the whole of Scotland is put on alert, I swear...”

“Lysette...”

“Fine.” she grumbled. “We're running out of Dreamless Sleep potion, I'm having headaches again and can't sleep.”

“But you know you shouldn't take it so often...” Alphard protested looking very uneasy with the news. Lysette cut him off with a dismissive wave of her hand.

“Stop it, you worrywart. It's just a migraine.” she chided with a smile, smoothing out the lines on his forehead. Alphard fixed her with a hard look, but Lysette just laughed and surprised her husband with a loving kiss on the cheek. “We don't want you to age prematurely, do we? I still need those snobbish women at the luncheons to be jealous of my handsome husband.”

Her father tried to look as stern as Wispy did, but failed miserably, eventually giving into laughter. Lysette just smirked, assured that she came out the victor once more.

“Well, your handsome husband wants you to drink that horrid tea that Wispy prepares.” he told her, much more light-hearted this time.

Wearing an exaggeratedly confused look on her face, Lysette pointed her finger towards her ear like she had trouble hearing and then started rattling off in rapid fire French. The look on Alphard's face was priceless; a mixture of enjoyment, adoration and absolute defeat.

“I'll learn that damn language if it's the last thing I do.”

“Bien sûr que tu le feras, chérie.”

(Of course you will, darling.)

Alphard scowled, then burst out laughing.

Despite her assurances, in the upcoming days Lysette seemed to tire out more quickly and soon bags appeared under her eyes despite having full nights of sleep.

One advantage to having a sentient new-born was the glorious absence of middle-of-the-night feedings. Alexa was able to time herself pretty well to eat just before going to sleep and then right at the butt crack of dawn. That way her parents didn't have to get up at two or three o'clock at night.

But as days went on Lysette didn't seem to get any better. She looked pale and worn out, despite resting for the majority of the day. Her insistence that everything is alright and it's just a few restless nights catching up to her, was for naught. Alphard put his foot down and called in a Healer. After the Mediwizard left, Alexa could hear them fighting in the next room. It was frustrating not to know what was being said. If her mother was seriously sick, she needed to know, but why would anyone explain such a thing to a baby?

The next day Lysette was in high spirits once again and perhaps it was that fact, that lulled her family into a false sense of security. Alexa figured that maybe she got some more Dreamless Sleep potion or a different type of medicine from the Healer, so she was able to have more restful nights. For the next two weeks everything was well again in Alexa's little world...

And then it wasn't.

* * *

January 27th 1959

The day started off completely normal, but when Daisy was the one who woke her up in the morning, she immediately realized there was nothing normal about it. Neither of her parents came to visit for the rest of the day. In the evening, she just knew that something was very wrong. Alphard would always come to see her after lunch and Lysette never wasted an opportunity to spend time with her daughter. Daisy was acting oddly subdued. In fact, the atmosphere in the house seemed to shift entirely. It was so... quiet. So incredibly silent.

It was completely dark when her father finally walked in. The relief she felt upon seeing him in quickly turned to ash, as she noticed the grave expression on his face. When he came closer, her heart stopped. The absent look in his beautiful, grey eyes would probably haunt her until the day she died.

Because at that moment she realized the truth.

Her mother was dead.

Alphard took one look at his daughter and fell to his knees with an anguished cry, bursting into tears.

* * *

January 30th 1959

The days before the funeral went by in a haze. They would sit together for hours, clinging to each other either in complete, deafening silence or a sobbing heap. When Wispy came to get them, with her red, puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks, Alphard handed his daughter to Daisy and stood there uncomprehendingly. Hours and days have been melting together, making him forget about food, sleep and anything beyond the babe in his arms.

Now he was shocked to see his sister standing in the doorway, the cold façade absent from her face. In an unprecedented display of compassion, Walburga approached and tightly wrapped her arms around her younger brother.

“I'm so sorry, Al... so sorry...” she whispered into his ear, her voice shaking with emotions. “We had no idea...”

Alphard stood stiffly in her embrace, as if confused by what was happening. Finally he cleared his throat and stepped out of her embrace. Walburga's face creased with worry when she saw his blank expression.

“Is everyone here?”

“We have an hour before they come. I came to make sure you were... presentable.” she gave him a critical once over, scrunching up her nose. “I think a shower is in order. Rusty!”

The Elf popped into the room, then bowed.

“Lady Walburga calls Rusty.”

“Make sure your Master is bathed, shaved and dresses appropriately.” she commanded sternly without even acknowledging the man in question. She then turned her attention to Wispy. “Alert me as soon as the guests start arriving. If there are any issues, come to me directly.”

“Burga...” Alphard's heavy sigh went ignored.

“This one here will help me prepare Alexandrine.” Walburga decided, waving her hand in Daisy's general direction. “Go and give her a bath while I pick out some clothing and-”

“Burga” her brother interrupted impatiently, then closed his mouth upon encountering his sister's stern glare.

“Be quiet, would you Alphard? How do you expect to take care of your daughter when you won't even take care of yourself? She needs her father and you're the only one she has. So get a grip.” she finished harshly, then spun around on her heel to look through Alexa's dresser.

He stood there for a moment, simply staring at her back, then finally shook himself out of the stupor.

“Thank you, Burga.” he said quietly, before walking out with Rusty hot on his tail.

Alexa watched her aunt obsessively adjust the lacey frills on her black dress. Walburga was the one holding her, while Alphard received the line of mourners. He wouldn't speak much, just nod and shake their hands, thanking them for coming. The ceremony itself was beautiful and moving. Lysette was buried in the Black's family tomb and now awaited the company of her husband.

Alexa was surprised to see how many people have come. Not just their extended family like Lucretia and Ignatius Prewett or Dorea and Charlus Potter. It seemed that every member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight was in attendance.

Including Abraxas Malfoy with five-year-old Lucius in tow. He was a sweet, angelic looking boy. He reminded her greatly of the pictures she's seen of Scorpius. Silky, platinum blonde hair, bright eyes and rosy cheeks. Lady Malfoy was notably absent and Alexa found herself bitterly wondering if she'll have to attend another funeral soon.

Everyone who was able, came to pay their respects for the last Selwyn in Britain. Well, second to last.

The line seemed unending, but the worst part of it by far were the countless people who approached, took in her father's state and then glanced at Walburga next to him, inevitably leading them to Alexa herself.

“So young” they'd say, shaking their heads with sorrow.

And every time they did, all she wanted was to grab them by their necks and shake them until some sense fell into their empty heads. Alphard looked paler by the moment, the weight of becoming a single father weighing him down by a ton.

When the line eventually ended and most of the guests left the burial site, the family moved on to the Chateau for a smaller gathering. Rusty directed them to the “small ballroom” where the House of Black dispersed for idle chit-chat, wine and finger-food. Walburga disappeared to organize the Elves and Alexa landed in the arms of her Godmother. And no, it didn't escape Alexa's notice that it was the second time her father opted out of holding her.

Alexa first met Cassiopeia Black just after Christmas. She remembered thinking how bright and eccentric Pollux's sister was in comparison. Slightly chubby, with nearly black, knowing eyes and a round hat with raven feathers, Cassiopeia appeared to be the odd one out among the Blacks. She reminded her a bit of the Witch stereotype that Muggles cultivated. Maybe it was that slightly hooked nose, gothic robes or long, raven black hair. Needles to say, if she ever saw her on a broom from afar, she'd giggle like a child.

That quirkiness was gone today and though Alexa desperately wanted it back, she understood why. Even Pollux, for all his faults didn't say a word out of line that day. Druella's face was consistently pinched, but fortunately she was well-mannered enough not do badmouth the dead on the day of their funeral.

 _Tomorrow's_ _a new day_ , Alexa thought sarcastically.

The whole affair was dreadfully tiring with only a single bright spot that entire day. That being, Cygnus' daughters arriving to lighten the mood. Bella, Dromeda and Cissy insisted on seeing the nursery and so, under Cassiopeia's watchful eye, the four Black girls spent the rest of the wake playing in Alexa's room. Although she had to once again pretend to be a small and her laugh was, at times, completely forced, the girls left her in a much better mood.

This was her family now, dysfunctional as it was.

The biggest surprise came after the wake was already over. Her cousins were long gone, along with most of the guests when Arcturus came into the nursery, a pensive look on his face. Cassiopeia, who still stood watch around her Goddaughter lowered her head with respect.

“My Lord. May I help you?”

“Most everyone has already gone.”

The meaning was, at best, implied. Cassiopeia's lips quirked a bit before she answered.

“I was only waiting for her father to reclaim her.”

“I will keep vigil in your stead.” Arcturus told her, using a tone which didn't allow for objections.

If this caused her any suspicion, she didn't show it. Cassiopeia merely stared at him with those infinitely dark, knowing eyes before falling into a slow curtsy. Then, she brushed a hand through Alexa's sparse hair and kissed her on the cheek.

“See you soon, dear.”

Moments later she was gone and Arcturus approached the crib. Alexandrine regarded him warily, struggling not to squirm under his penetrating gaze. Circe, it felt like he was looking right through her.

“ _How will you deal with this?”_

She simply stared at him, unblinking. Realizing he won't get a response, Arcturus furrowed his brow.

“ _Do you want to know how she died?”_

This time she was quick with her answer.

“ _Will knowing bring her back to life?”_

She learned long ago to avoid the sordid details. Arcturus kept his eyes firmly on the girl.

“ _Alphard will keep treating you like a child. By all rights you shouldn't even remember Lysette when you grow up.”_

“ _I know.”_

“ _He won't understand you are grieving.”_

“ _I know.”_ she repeated firmly, but her voice sounded pained even through their mental connection. “ _But there is nothing else I can do._ ”

“ _You could tell him the truth.”_ Arcturus' words hit her like a hurricane. She stuttered, taken aback.

“ _No, I can't. You know I can't._ ”

“ _How long do you think you can keep up this charade?”_

“ _As long as it takes.”_ Alexa insisted, even though doubt sneaked in the moment she was first discovered. Her voice trembled. _“What if he doesn't understand?”_

“ _He might not.”_

She snorted. Of course, a man like Arcturus wouldn't coddle her by repeating vapid platitudes about fatherly love. She repaid honesty with honesty.

“ _I still have one more parent than I did before. I don't want to go back to square one.”_

Arcturus considered her for a brief moment, then slowly nodded. Even though they weren't exactly friends, it was still nice to talk to someone who knew she was an adult. Her new body was both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes she felt caged inside of it, mute and defenceless. Friend or foe, Arcturus was the only one who understood that. And so Alexa found herself telling him more, knowing full well it might be a mistake.

“ _I may not have known her long, but she was my mother._ ” Alexa told him hotly, not sure whom she was trying to convince. Arcturus was about to respond when Alphard walked in.

He looked slightly out of breath when he arrived and she realised Cassiopeia must've warned him about Arcturus' presence.

 _Good job, Godmother,_ Alexa thought appreciatively.

“Did I not tell you to stay away from my daughter?!” he exclaimed and Alexa was truly disturbed to see the wild look in his eyes. Alphard all but ran through the room, swiftly picking her up.

_What? When?_

She had no idea he spoke with Arcturus. It must've been sometime after his last visit. Today, even more than ever, she was grateful to have such a loving, protective father. Obviously the sentiment wasn't as well received by the third party.

Arcturus' face turned to stone, his pewter eyes darkening in their expression rather than colour. He spoke quietly, knowing he will be heard perfectly well, his voice cold as ice.

“I will forget this transgression, but only because this day is a difficult one for your family.”

If that look was directed at Alexa, she would've tightened the grip on her wand. Alphard seemed to have momentarily forgotten himself, glaring at his Paterfamilias with unexpected animosity. The air grew heavier by the second.

Her father's behaviour was very uncharacteristic of him and frankly, quite worrying. Alexa watched both men, ready for them to come to blows any second. Instead of that happening, Arcturus turned his heavy gaze on Alexa.

“ _He needs you.”_

Her heart skipped a beat. Those words were heavy with meaning. In the past they served as both an excuse and a justification. Whenever they needed her, she was there. So in that moment, when she looked at her father, his eyes lost and full of panic... she knew she would make this sacrifice once again.

“ _Tell him._ ”

She closed her eyes and waited.

* * *

February 11th 2000

If she wasn't already deaf on that ear, she definitely would be now, after getting blasted sideways into a tree trunk with the Expulso Curse. She fell to her knees, her eyes too blurred to notice the blood she coughed up on the forest floor. Still, she felt the taste of it alright. Her head throbbed from the impact, but the spells firing off just a few meters behind made her ignore the mounting pain and stand on wobbly legs, raising her hand against Rookwood to produce a bright, red light, which he barely parried. It was enough for him to turn away from Padma Patil though, who she could now see engaging in a much fairer, one-on-one fight with Macnair.

“Should've killed you that day!” she spat, hoping to distract him enough to check on the rest of her companions.

Any of them would be good, but who she really wanted to see was Ginny, because Ginny was still absolutely shit at wandless spells, barely able to produce a Stunner and a Protego. Hopefully, Oliver would have her back.

“And that's why you'll finally die today, Mudblood.” Rookwood bared his teeth at her, but didn't lose focus enough to stop fighting.

They exchanged spells fiercely, barely having enough time to handle each other, let alone anyone else. This time he was much more determined than the first. Losing to a teenage Mudblood must've been humiliating last time. He wouldn't underestimate her again. She just hit him with a Cutting Hex straight to the chest, when someone yelled:

“Call the Dark Lord!”

Rookwood swore, throwing up a strong shield to protect him while he tried to stop the heavy bleeding. Hermione turned to see Carrow baring his left arm to touch the Dark Mark. Before he managed to do so, Ginny knocked him back with a Tripping Jinx.

 _Good shot, Gin!_ she thought and the next moment a silver dragon swooped between the fighters. That was their signal.

“Disapparate!” Oliver yelled and immediately two pops signalled the departure of their fighters.

Oliver turned to help Luna fight off Alecto, but a tormented scream grabbed everybody's attention. It was Parvati. Hermione couldn't make out what exactly had happened, but Parvati's face was bleeding heavily. In a burst of magically-fuelled fury, Padma knocked out Macnair and ran straight to her twin sister. Hermione didn't have time to check if Macnair would be standing up anytime soon, because Rookwood gathered his wits, shooting the Cruciatus her way. She ducked and returned fire.

“Now!” Oliver roared, jumping over Alecto's unconscious form to grab Luna's arm.

In a stroke of good luck Hermione managed to land a Depulso on Rookwood just before the two disappeared. One last Stunner rendered him harmless for the foreseeable future. Then two things happened at the same time. First, Padma took her sister by Side-Along and the two disappeared. Second, Amycus Carrow, who was now ferociously continuing his duel with Ginny, landed some Dark Curse on the girl's leg, making her fall to the ground with a pained sob. Hermione started towards her, but saw something on the way that made her stop in her tracks.

Macnair, turned to the side on the ground, grinning. His hand was firmly on his Dark Mark and the manic joy in his eyes made Hermione's anger soar. She aimed and with a short burst of blinding, green light, put him down once and for all.

When she looked up, he was already there, having appeared as silently as a spectre. Her heart thrummed in panic. For some reason she stood there like an idiot, captivated by his feral, scarlet gaze.

The sight of Voldemort raising his wand against her finally blasted her back to reality.

She ran towards Ginny as fast as her feet could carry her, casting a shield mid-step to deflect the barrage of Curses Amycus Carrow shot her way. Those few meters seemed to elongate into kilometres, but the overwhelming terror kept her body running on autopilot. Just as she threw herself over Ginny, she saw Voldemort's red spell gliding through her shield like a knife through butter, hitting her in the back mid-spin.

The earth-shattering pain would've had her screaming and thrashing in agony if she was able to move or make a sound. Shouts around her had no meaning. The only things she registered was the feeling of guts spilling from her stomach and the ocean of crimson spreading around her body. Then everything went dark.

* * *

February 11th 1959

After the atomic bond was dropped on their father-daughter relationship things became a bit... tense. To put it mildly.

Alphard took it as well as he could, but that appeared to be just shy of well enough to talk to her about it. He had no idea whether he should treat her as his own daughter or... someone else. A stranger. His face told her as much when he left her room, the day of Lysette's funeral. When Arcturus advised him to leave and cool off, Alphard gratefully took the chance.

To be honest, he couldn't be out of there quicker. She didn't blame him. To throw something like this on his shoulders when his wife just died must've been horrible and overwhelming. But if he had to know, there was no point in waiting. If she waited, she would've just chickened out. Ripping off the band aid quickly has left her with no room to back out. Still, after a few days of his absence, she was starting to regret ever taking the plunge.

Truthfully, she regretted it the minute she did, but it only got worse with time as dark thoughts started constantly plaguing her mind.

_What if he hates me? What if he feels betrayed? Used? He has good reason to. What if he wants me to leave as soon as possible?_

If he asked, she would leave, but when? How? She knew that some Pureblood families had ways of making their Squib children “disappear”, but he couldn't very well claim her to be a Squib after what happened at Saint Mungo's. The Blacks would question him if she just disappeared. Arcturus especially, knowing what he knows. So even if she wanted to oblige him, Alphard would have to wait years more for that to happen.

The more she thought of it, the more terrified she became of the outcome. It took her eleven days to reach her breaking point.

Eleven days of being attended to by House Elves, eleven days of not seeing her father's face. If the rejection had to come, she'd rather it arrive quickly. The quicker bad news comes, the quicker you can deal with it. She knew that if Alphard didn't speak to her soon, she would raise hellfire on the house, screaming her lungs out until he came to speak to her. Fortunately, it didn't come to that. On the twelfth day, Alphard walked into the nursery in the middle of the night.

Truth to be told, ever since the Battle, she had trouble sleeping. The lightest sound put her on alert, even though one of her ears was entirely useless after an explosion that Rookwood fired her way. This time it was an ominously creaking door that alerted her to Alphard's presence.

He approached the crib, hesitantly looking at the baby inside. Blinking in surprise, he realized she was awake. A moment of tense silence passed between them as they both stared. What he saw, she was scared to think. Alexa however, could only see how awful he looked. Pale complexion, dark circles, blood shot eyes. Apparently, she wasn't the only one loosing out on sleep.

“ _I was worried you'd never come.”_ she admitted through a connection between their minds, fully aware how pathetic she sounded.

“I needed time to... process.” Alphard told her calmly, then his lips quirked in a barely-there smirk. “Yesterday I was sufficiently dressed down by a certain House Elf, so my time of wallowing in self-pity has come to and end sooner than I'd wished.”

She almost laughed. _Thank God for Wispy._

“ _Do you have any questions?”_

Her softly asked question was met with a nod of agreement. Alphard pondered the situation for an additional moment.

“Are you my daughter?”

His face was full of apprehension and she wondered if he was scared of asking the question, or scared of receiving the answer. Alexandrine knew a look of confusion appeared on her face. After all, how was she supposed to answer such a question? Alphard took it upon himself to provide a qualification.

“Arcturus told me that you appeared on the family tapestry, which makes you a Black. He checked your blood to confirm you are Pure. I know that... She birthed you, that biologically we are related. What I'm asking is: Do you consider me to be your father?”

Alexandrine felt her heart ache when she saw the vulnerable look in his platinum grey eyes. This wasn't a question to be taken lightly, but there could only be one answer.

“ _Yes.”_ she conveyed softly, shocked by how easily the word came and how true it felt. Alphard exhaled heavily, making her realize that he was holding his breath for quite a while now.

“Since when?”

It was a fair question to ask.

“ _Since the first time we've met. I could... tell how much you love me already.”_ there was a note of shyness in her voice when she tried to explain such an immensely complicated emotion. _“I felt... a connection with you.”_

Alexa skipped explaining what she considered that connection to be. A biological imperative. Children were bound to trust their parents, just like parents were biologically programmed to care for their children. It would be too high an order to explain genetics to a Pureblood who, most likely, had little idea about Muggle science.

In the end, did it matter what she called it? Nature or Magic, the truth was she did love him, no doubt about it.

Alphard closed his eyes for a moment, relief clear in his voice.

“That's what I felt too... But what about...” he swallowed thickly “...your mother?”

“ _I loved her too, of course I did. When she first held me it was like...”_ she paused, looking for the right words. _“...like I saw the sun for the very first time in ten years.”_

A sad smile took over his lips when he heard that explanation. There was no need to explain just how literal she was being about this comparison.

“Yes, she did make one feel that way, didn't she?” his smile dissipated far too soon. He took in the appearance of his daughter once again. “Arcturus told me that in your first life, you didn't have any family left. Was that... why?”

“Among other things.” Alexa sighed, annoyed at the vagueness in her own response. Alphard didn't seem to mind. He just kept looking at her with surprising patience, prompting her to continue. _“When I was in my second year of school there was an... event and I spent a few weeks in the infirmary. My parents...”_ she swallowed nervously. _“...my parents were Muggle. No one at the school told them of what had happened and when summer came... I didn't either.”_

His eyes widened briefly when he realized his daughter used to be a Muggleborn, but he didn't interrupt the story. She quickly continued.

“ _That was the first time I lied to them about something this big. From then on it only got worse. Every year something happened and every year I pretended everything was fine, because I didn't want to worry them. If they knew the half of it would've taken me out of school and I couldn't risk that. They had no idea about the most important part of my life and it caused us to... grow apart. When they died...”_ she cut off abruptly. _“I didn't want that to happen again. If I continued lying about who I am...”_ Alexa sighed. _“I'm sorry, but I had to tell you.”_

And it was completely true. More so, Alphard finding out was an inevitability, she realized it now. Pretending to be a child for the next fifteen years would've driven her insane. Either she'd break eventually and blurt it out herself or Alphard would figure it out, which could only be worse. At least, confessing the harsh truth was better than letting it fester and ruin their relationship at its foundation.

Alphard looked out the window and into the darkness. After a long silence, he nodded in acknowledgment. His next sentence shocked her.

“Your mother and I were arranged to be married since I was five years old.” he paused briefly to smile at the surprise playing clearly on her face. “Unexpected, isn't it? I've only seen her once, as an infant, before her family took her away to France. I haven't seen your mother in twenty years before she moved back to begin our official courtship, three years ago.”

Alexa drank in his every word, staring at her father with an open mouth.

“I was a little shit.” he admitted easily, chuckling. “Twenty five, living the life of a bachelor, drinking away my trust-fund. I didn't want to get married with some girl from France that I didn't even remember. Took her three weeks to set me straight. I was gone after that, gave her the family ring two months later. She refused it.”

Even now, Alphard was shaking his head at his wife's audacity.

“I couldn't believe it. We were contracted to be married, were we not? That's what I told her and she laughed at me. She said: “Now that you know you want me, you have to show me you deserve to have me.” Cheeky witch. Had to chase her for a whole year and get rejected twice more before she finally took mercy upon me.”

Alexa couldn't help but smile. That sounded exactly like something her mother would do. Alphard huffed.

“After we got married, she told me she'd been ready when I asked her the first time, but wanted to make sure I was ready too. She only agreed when I proved my determination. If I didn't, I'm pretty sure she'd break the contract and run away to France.”

The unmistakable fondness in his voice dissipated with a heavy sigh.

“Your mother would've understood. She wouldn't have cared that you had a life before this one. She'd love you just the same.”

“ _Can you?”_ she questioned, her heart in her throat. The long hesitation nearly brought her to tears.

“I can try.” he finally said and Alexa felt like he was looking straight into her soul. A new sort of determination appeared in his eyes. “You are our daughter. Blood of our blood. Magic of our Magic. You're the only thing that Lysette has left me. I... We need each other. I'm not giving you up.”

His last word was barely said before she began to sob in earnest, relief flooding every fibre of her being. The moment he embrace her, everything was worth it. The pain, the loss, the uncertainty. She'd do it all again.

* * *

April 16th 1959

It took some time for father and daughter to establish a completely new relationship. They now both felt awkward about treating Alexa as a child. As a result, the tedious parts of parenting such as bathing, feeding and swaddling were relegated completely to Daisy and, on occasion, Wispy.

 _At least I'm not the only who's uncomfortable now,_ she'd tease Alphard sometimes. He'd pull a face then, but there was never much heat behind his glares, at least when directed at his daughter.

All in all, her father did his best. Instead of torturing her with children's stories he'd read aloud the Daily Prophet, the Potion's Quarterly or some other interesting journal. That didn't mean that toddler activity was completely abandoned. On the contrary.

Over those past weeks the Black family made frequent visits to Selwyn Chateau. None more so than Walburga, but Cygnus came a close second. He'd bring his three daughters at least once a week, usually more often. Naturally, she'd spent her days playing with the girls, who apparently took a liking to their baby cousin.

Bellatrix, to her eternal surprise, enjoyed entertaining her and treating Alexa as if she were a pretty doll to dress up and pamper. She allowed for it, smiling the whole time. It was too ironic not too be entertaining and, above all else, it was probably wise to keep Bella in close quarters.

Having her as an enemy wasn't inevitable this time, as she was no longer a Mudblood. If she could avoid those beginnings to avoid those ends, she would. Alexandrine saw no reason cut off her ear to spite her face. Especially if the ear in question had a pretty mean Cruciatus at its disposal. With all the shots of the Torture Curse she had taken during the war, Bella's was by far the worst.

Alexa took a lot of enjoyment from Walburga's visits as well. The woman's demeanour was something entirely unexpected. After she so expertly took over the Chateau on the day of the funeral, Walburga never really let loose of the reins. She made frequent inspections to make sure her brother had the house in hand. Or rather that the House Elves did.

Wispy didn't hide that she was affronted by that fact, but the fact she didn't protest the change, spoke volumes about her state of mind since her Mistress died. The bond between Wispy and Lysette was something very rarely seen between Wizards or Witches and their House Elves. Alexa now understood what Kreacher was going through after losing Regulus and if things went her way, he wouldn't have to go through it this time.

Wispy became oddly subdued. Alphard used to tease the Elf for her bossy attitude, but after a while they were all missing it. When three months after the funeral, Wispy almost smacked the bottle of Cognac out of his hand, he laughed uproariously and petted the Elf's head with fondness that shocked the little creature.

It was true that Alphard took to drinking during the day, but Alexandrine felt like it wasn't her place to chastise him. Everyone had different ways of dealing with grief and its not like he was walking around perpetually drunk, like she knew Lucius used to do. Still, she was relieved to see Wispy returning to her old self and curtailing Alphard's excessive use of alcohol in the process.

Cassiopeia made a few visits as well. It was no secret that she adored her Goddaughter and was fiercely protective of the little witch. Merlin help Druella if the two ever came across each other again, after the blonde dared to make a comment about Alexandrine possibly being “slow” in her Godmother's presence. Alphard's intervention was the only reason that Druella didn't become permanently bald, since Cygnus didn't even move a muscle to spare his wife from being severely hexed. The Blacks really did know some nasty, Dark Curses.

Things didn't happen overnight, but somehow their relationship sort of melted into place. Alphard told her that even if he tried, he couldn't see her as anything but his daughter. With her dark hair and high cheekbones that she inherited from his side of the family, she was undoubtedly a daughter of House Black. So between that and the features she clearly poached from House Selwyn; like her small, dainty nose, almond-shaped, blue eyes and soft brow, she reflected a lot of Lysette's looks as well.

Sometimes she was able to catch Alphard, gazing at her pensively, but no explanation was ever given voluntarily and she didn't ask for one.

Her father already knew that Alexa's Soul came from a very similar sort of world and that a lot of events seemed to correlate. Though she didn't share anything overly important, she did tease him with snippets of information. Alphard could be trusted with way more than Arcturus and being honest with him helped facilitate a genuine relationship. When the inevitable question about Lysette finally came, she had already spent a lot of time thinking about it.

They were in the family room, reading The Animagus - a Transfiguration themed journal, when he suddenly quieted. Alexa waited patiently, sensing that he was hesitant to continue.

“Was... your mother still alive in your world?”

For a few seconds Alexa thought on how to best put her thoughts into words.

_“I don't know for sure, but... I think she may have died before the two of you ever got married.”_

Alphard stiffened, looking appalled by the news.

“We... were never together? Who did I marry then?”

 _“You never married, never had children.”_ she told him as gently as possible. Alphard blinked, his platinum grey eyes looking upon his daughter in confusion.

“Then what about you?”

 _“There was never an Alexandrine Black either.”_ she confessed, then sighed lightly. “I think... the Magic from the ritual must've kept her alive long enough to...”

The words were almost too cruel to say, but clearly Alphard wanted them said.

“...long enough to give birth to you.” he finished, still looking flabbergasted by the concept. After a moment, he shook himself out of the confusion. “It makes sense. After meeting Lysette, there could be no other woman for me, even if we didn't get to marry. If that's the case I owe you a debt of gratitude.”

 _“What?”_ she sputtered disbelievingly. Alphard nodded, a sad smile playing on his lips.

“If I have to chose between having your mother as a wife for nearly two years or not having her at all, the choice is simple.” seeing the lost look on her face, he continued. “If your mother knew she would've chosen that too. She loved you more than anyone. Knowing that you gave her two more years... you don't know how much it means to me. So thank you.”

Only when Alphard took his handkerchief to wipe away the tears from her cheeks, had she realised that she was crying. No one was able to wipe away somebody's guilt with one swoop, but that gesture of absolute understanding came a hell of a lot way closer than anything, she ever dared hope for.

* * *

April 16th 2000

The feeling of being entirely conscious yet unable to lift a finger is difficult to describe. Hermione would probably characterize it as frustrating, utter helplessness. Bits of conversations entered her mind from time to time, only disrupted by the soft beeping of her working heartbeat. The sound was enough for her to know that she was in the Resistance Headquarters. Katie always set up those same sensors and Wards around her patients. She was pretty sure that if she stirred a fucking siren would blast through the place, loud enough to wake the dead.

Careful no to become deaf on her other ear, she fluttered her eyelids. It felt like they were glued close, but she powered though after a few tries. She barely got used to the brightness of the room before Katie appeared, hovering over her face with an immensely relieved look on her face.

"Thank God." she sighed heavily, as if two tons of pressure just fell from her shoulders. "You weren't reacting to the Wideye Potion. I've been trying to wake you up for the past three days."

Hermione cleared her throat, knowing full well her voice will be raspy from disuse.

"How long have I been out?"

"About three months. It was... bad, Hermione." the young Healer finished off on a whisper. Hermione just nodded. After every injury that Katie somehow patched up, if she said it was bad, she wasn't exaggerating. "Do you remember what happened?"

She nodded, taking a deep, unsteady breath.

"Is Ginny okay?"

Katie huffed.

"You're impossible. Worry about yourself for a minute, will you? Ginny's fine. Her leg was fucked after Carrow got her in the duel, but she arrived in one piece and I patched her up pretty quickly. Two weeks of rest and she's back to running around the Headquarters."

"Everybody else?"

"Fine. Charlie ordered a stop to all offensive action until you recover." she said, looking pointedly at her bed-ridden friend.

Hermione barely had enough strength to roll her eyes. Katie spent every moment since their breakup, trying to convince her that Ron's older brother had the hots for her. At the moment, Hermione didn't have the patience to bicker about such trivialities. Every part of her body felt like jelly.

Katie continued, a self-assured smirk on her face. "He flipped out at Oliver after you arrived. We all thought he was going to kill him when he found out the two of you were left behind with the Death Eaters."

"Oliver wasn't at fault." she croaked out without thinking. "He gave the order to Disapparate and took Luna with him. All I had to do was take Ginny. It would've been fine if..." she trailed off, growing sheepish as she watched Katie's face turn red in rage.

"FINE?! YOU CALL THAT FINE?!" she erupted, waving her arms around frantically. Hermione winced from the sudden volume, but ironically, her Healer didn't seem to notice. "Rookwood and Carrow were both on their feet! Ginny was down and he left you to fight against them alone!"

"That's not true, Ginny went down just after he'd gone and even if that wasn't the case, I still could've taken those two creeps." Hermione insisted hotly, causing her to erupt into a minor coughing fit. Katie handed her a glass of water, which she accepted with a grateful nod. "I knocked Rookwood out cold and Amycus was already injured. If You-Know-Who didn't come, he would've been done. Didn't Gin tell you?"

"She did and I'm not fucking happy."

Hermione stiffened, her heart skipping a beat, because this time it wasn't Katie stating the objection. Wincing, she turned her head on the pillow to see Charlie, standing in the doorway with his arms folded across his chest. He looked... let's say, mildly displeased.

"Hey Charlie." she whispered with a weak smile, feeling suddenly nervous. The dragon fire burning in his bright, brown eyes produced quite an intimidating look.

"Is that all you have to say after I watched your body split in half?" he gritted out through his teeth, coming closer to the bed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Katie retreating out of the room.

 _Coward_.

Charlie stopped right next to her, his muscular chest heaving from deep, heavy breaths. Hermione swallowed thickly.

"You look like a dragon who's about to breathe fire." she tried to joke, but it came out flat. Charlie narrowed his eyes, looking distinctly unamused.

Hermione winced. _Tough crowd._

"I'm sorry, okay?"

 _Here_ , she thought, _I said it. Not that I fucking mean it_ _._ Charlie glared, still visibly seething.

"You don't even fucking mean it."

 _Damn._ She didn't expect to get called out like this. Hermione sighed.

"What would you rather have me do? Leave Ginny out there? I had to stay, she can't Apparate."

He didn't answer, because of course there was no right answer. They both knew she had no other choice, but to get Ginny. A triumphant smirk tugged at her lips.

"So no, I'm not fucking sorry."

Charlie huffed, looking away.

"Stubborn fucking woman." he cursed under his breath. She did herself a favour and pretended not to hear that. Instead, she strained her weak muscles just enough to grab the palm of his hand.

"I am sorry for making you worry, though." she told him, but this time honestly. His big, calloused hand gripped hers; at first way too hard, but then his hold on her lessened. Charlie sighed again, sitting down at the edge of her bed. The ire melted away from his eyes. He just looked resigned.

"Fuck, you have no idea how it looked. We were waiting for the two of you to appear and when you did... shit, I almost puked. You were laying over Ginny, holding onto her and your legs... fuck. Your legs appeared a few steps away. You Splinched right down the middle of your body. Guts started spilling out and... I swear, I though it was over. You didn't even flinch, just kept staring at me with your eyes open."

Hermione's face twisted in disgust. She didn't think Charlie noticed just how vivid a picture he was painting, so entrenched he was in the macabre memory of her mangled, mutilated body. Even though she felt just how sore and heavy her legs were, she felt an irrational need to make sure they were still there and properly attached to her torso. She managed a weak smile.

“Well, at least the legs showed up with me. If I left them behind, I doubt anyone would come back for them.” she tried to joke again, but this time only earned herself a look of disbelief. Something broke inside of her upon seeing that expression on Charlie's face. She hiccupped. “And I doubt You-Know-Who would've sent them back by owl...”

Her last word was barely discernibly between the sobs. Tears sprung from her eyes, quickly streaming down her face. Charlie didn't hesitate for a second, embracing her fully, whispering words of comfort as the familiar scent of smoke and pinewood began soothing her senses.

Soon Katie rushed back in, no doubt alerted by her Wards. When she saw what was happening, she nodded in understanding.

“The shock is passing.”

It took Hermione a few minutes to recollect herself after the dam broke. Charlie didn't leave her side, gently stroking her back in an up and down motion. Katie gave her a milder version of the Calming Draught.

She was unable to provide anything else, since Hermione was already packed full of potions and getting access to ingredients on the Black Market was difficult enough without wasting them on a normal, run-of-the-mill mental breakdown. Alicia Spinnet had two near-misses with the Snatchers already and it would be exceedingly unwise to send her back anytime soon.

“Why didn't he kill me?” Hermione asked quietly, directing the question at no one in particular. Both Katie and Charlie looked at her with strained expressions. “He could've used the Killing Curse, instead of a simply Body-Bind. I would've been dead. Honestly I would've thought such a spell beneath him.”

“Let's not waste time singing him praises. He still almost killed you.” Katie insisted, pinching her lips in displeasure. “Paralyzing someone during Apparition-”

“I know.” Hermione interrupted firmly. “But that wasn't the intention of the spell, was it? He wanted to paralyze me before I Apparated away. But why? Why not just kill me like they do everybody else?”

No one attempted an answer this time. She didn't want to admit, even in the privacy of her own mind, that she could take a pretty solid guess. Voldemort didn't simply kill her, because he saw her putting down Macnair with an Unforgivable. Hermione didn't want to think, that the intensity in his scarlet eyes might not have been caused by blind hatred, but rather... interest.

She chanced a look at Charlie and realized, from the way he suddenly went ghostly pale, that his thoughts were leading him to a similar conclusion.

It never paid well to become a person of interest for the Dark Lord.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey :)  
> So much going on in this chapter! I am a bit scared to post it after pulling a George Martin lol  
> It is always difficult to part with an important character, but it had to be done. I still feel bad about it though.  
> Someone commented recently about enjoying the family dynamic I've established and I felt so guilty reading that comment, knowing what happens next hahaha  
> By overwhelming consensus in the comments, the next chapters will be devoted to passing Alexa's childhood. She'll definitely get her wand and have some quality time with the family. There might also be a Horcrux or two making an appearance :)  
> Let me know how you feel about this recent development with Alexa's parents. Did you expect it? Are you happy things are out in the open with another, crucial character? Did I bring you down by murdering your favourite character? ;)  
> Be sure to comment and let me know!  
> XOXO


	5. Chapter 5

July 24th1959

The afternoons spent at her Godmother's house became quite more frequent as Walburga withdrew from company. Of course, Alexa fully understood why she did, but Alphard was quite miffed that his sister suddenly disappeared after a months-long reign of terror that she unleashed on their household. Cassiopeia was only too happy to take over, inviting the two for afternoon tea.

The tea itself, as Alphard described it, was a delicious, herbal concoction sweetened with honey. The fact that Cassiopeia expressly forbade him from allowing his daughter even the smallest taste and that he often left Cassiopeia's place suspiciously relaxed and wearing a pleased look on his face, made Alexa strongly suspect that honey wasn't the only special ingredient in the brew.

After she shared her thoughts, Alphard began skipping the tea. That didn't make Alexa's afternoon any less pleasant though.

After a few weeks of intense practise, she finally mastered crawling and thoroughly enjoyed playing with Cassiopeia's two, black Kneazles. No, the irony of a witch like Cassiopeia owning two, black cats wasn't lost on her, but she's never seen a full-blooded Kneazle before and the creatures were truly amazing.

They also weren't the only attraction in her Godmother's house, oh no. She was also a proud owner of a phoenix, a raven and a falcon. No to mention two pet rabbits and an ugly toad, that very much reminded her of Neville's Trevor. Cassiopeia's house was basically a zoo in the making.

Needles to say, the suspicion she had before about her great aunt being a bit of an eccentric person, wasn't entirely misplaced.

“They really do love her, don't they?” Cassiopeia observed with a coy smile, watching one of her Kneazles circle Alexa protectively. “Nero is an excellent judge of character.”

“Don't even think about getting her one of those, Aunt Cassiopeia. I don't have a permit.” Alphard protested immediately, but she waved it off like one would an annoying bug.

“You're a Black, are you not? Get her a cub and they will grow together. I'm not bonded to any of mine, but a Kneazle is one of the most powerful familiars out there.”

It sounded like she already considered the matter closed. Alphard merely shook his head, knowing that arguing with his aunt was pointless and excused himself to use the bathroom. He was gone only a few seconds before a knock on the door had Cassiopeia standing up from her seat. A House Elf ushered in an extravagantly dressed woman.

“Oh my, is it the time already? Welcome to my home, Lady Smith.”

_Smith? Where the hell did I hear that name?_

Alexa didn't hear the response, but soon the newcomer appeared in her line of vision and she had a chance to take a better look.

She was woman of extensive size, her shape exaggerated by a loose, flowy robe. An obviously fake, curly red wig made the skin on her face look brick red. Plenty of wrinkles decorated her forehead and the area around her eyes. The exorbitant amount of rouge she wore brought attention to her round cheeks and the intensely pink lips didn't provide much charm.

Cassiopeia went to pick up Alexa from the blanket on the ground. The Kneazle raised his head, watching his Mistress with interest.

“My Goddaughter.” Cassiopeia told her guest, dark eyes shining with unmistakeable pride. Lady Smith nodded wit approval.

“Beautiful child.”

The woman's beady eyes settled on Alexa and she leaned in like she was about to kiss her on the cheek. A concentrated scent of rose assaulted her senses and Alexa recoiled.

_Touch me and I'll scream._

The woman's fleshy lips turned downward and she leaned back, her red wig tilting to the side at and odd angle. The more Alexa watched her, the stronger this nagging feeling of recognition became. She could swear that the information rested somewhere in the back of her head. She was fairly certain that she's never seen the woman before, but the name. Smith. She's heard that name before. She was sure of it.

“Such a pity about the mother. Shame to leave the little one alone...”

“Not alone. With her father.” Cassiopeia interrupted sharply, her dark eyes narrowing dangerously. Lady Smith seemed to be immune to nuance though, because she continued on the precarious path she's set for herself.

“Still, nasty business.” she carried on wistfully. “To take such a dangerous potion while pregnant... no wonder the child was always sickly. Your nephew shouldn't have chosen such a weak bride...”

At those words, Cassiopeia's patience shattered like a house of cards.

“Care for some tea?” she offered with a dead look in her eye.

Alexa flinched at the cold air that suddenly surrounded her Great Aunt. She had a feeling that this time the tea would contain something much less benign than a watered down version of the Draught of Peace. Lady Smith was about to respond, but Alphard chose this moment to return.

The floral aroma greeted him like a punch to the face, but true to his House, Alphard remained impassive. He greeted the new arrival with a polite bow and retrieved his daughter from Cassiopeia.

“ _Everything alright?”_ Alphard asked, as his mental force brushed the edge of her shields.

“ _Fine. Just don't let Aunt Cassiopeia give her the tea.”_

Father shot her a quizzical look.

“ _Later.”_

During their brief exchange, the hostess made all of the appropriate introductions and urged her guests to make themselves comfortable. Lady Smith wobbled slightly when making her way to the plush sofa and when she finally sat down, her body seemed to melt into the crushed velvet, carving a valley into the poor piece of furniture. Cassiopeia didn't bat an eye as the sofa elevated slightly on the other side. Her smile was just a tiny bit strained when she turned towards her nephew.

“Lady Smith came to look at that antique clock for her collection. You know I've been wanting to get rid of the old thing for years...”

Apparently it didn't bother her that she was devaluing the very object, she was trying to sell. Lady Smith, on the other hand, pursed her lips in displeasure.

“Yes, well... I was told it is an excellent piece. That handsome young man working at Borgin's already offered to visit and check for curses.”

Alexa's eyes widened in alarm. _No way. No fucking way._

Cassiopeia nodded, looking distinctly uninterested. In fact, she was still eyeing the tea cup.

“Ah yes. I've met Tom before, he seems quite knowledgeable.”

_Motherfucker!_

Her heart started pounding. _Holy motherfucker!_ She gripped Alphard's cravat, forcefully yanking it down. He father looked down, raising his brows questioningly, but then the panicked look in her eyes must've alerted him to the seriousness of the situation.

“ _What's wrong?”_

She struggled to form a coherent thought. Disbelief was the only emotion she was capable of processing, because now she knew where she'd heard that woman's name before.

That was Hepzibah Smith and soon she would be killed by a young Lord Voldemort.

Alexa steeled herself.

“ _I think I need to see Arcturus.”_

* * *

Say what you will about her father, but he was a man that you could count on in a crisis. When he realized that his daughter needed help, he immediately took matters into his own hands. He made the appropriate excuses and using Cassiopeia's floo, brought her to Arcturus' London villa.

They were greeted by an uncharacteristically tall House Elf and after Alphard stated his business, the Elf disappeared. It took him to minutes to come back and lead them to Arcturus' office.

Upon walking in, they found themselves in an imposing space full of dark woods and bookshelves filled to the brim. Her inner bookworm would've been dancing with joy, if the situation didn't call for some sobriety. Arcturus greeted the two from behind his desk and after dismissing his Elf, offered them a place to sit.

“My daughter wanted to speak with you.” Alphard said as a way of introduction.

She noticed that since her real identity was revealed, the two men seemed to become less formal. It's not surprising that sharing such a secret would force people to place some trust in each other. Arcturus didn't seem to mind the lack of a designation either. Their obvious haste must've procured his attention.

Alexa took a deep breath. She was wondering what to say from the moment she found out.

“ _The woman that is now visiting aunt Cassiopeia... will soon be murdered in her home.”_ she told them, aiming for directness.

Alphard flinched at the news, but Arcturus' expression didn't change a hair. Exactly the reason why she was taking this risk.

“And you want us to protect her?” Alphard asked hesitantly, clearly confused as to why she was telling them such a thing after flat-out refusing to give any information about the future for months.

Arcturus barely glanced at the man, so focused he was on the girl. His sharp wit never failed to secure her highest regard.

“I don't think she does. Otherwise she would've told us sooner, would she not?” he said slowly, considering the child before him. “You've found out something new.”

His shrewdness was honestly annoying sometimes. Alexa matched his gaze.

“ _I thought she'd be dead by now.”_ she admitted flatly, aware of her father's questioning gaze. _“And you're right, it's not precisely her death that worries me. It's the fact that after she's killed two, very important artefacts will be stolen from her home by the murderer... and they cannot fall into his hands. Under any circumstance.”_

The vehemence in her voice was enough to convince them she was serious. Arcturus fell silent for a moment, obviously thinking it through. Thoughts were swirling around her head. She needed a plan and it needed to be a fool-proof one. More importantly, she needed their hands to execute it.

“I assume you're unable to give us more information.” Arcturus finally broke the silence, not a bit of impatience colouring his tone. Alexa just nodded and then their eyes met again, for a very long moment. “Such favours do not come cheap.”

“ _I know.”_

“But I don't know.” Alphard interrupted, a severe look on his face. “Why is it that you are asking him for help at all? I can certainly...”

“She doesn't want to risk another parent.” Arcturus told him, without looking away from Alexa for even the tiniest glance. “I am dispensable... at best.”

He allowed the suggestion to hang in the air. Alexa stared at him, unblinking. The corner of his lips quirked in a ghost of a smile.

“Would it not be prudent to get rid of the one person who knows her secret, that she doesn't trust? Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak?”

The silence became more telling the longer she failed to contradict his reasoning. Now it was Alphard who stared at her in disbelief. incredibly, his next question wasn't directed at his daughter at all.

“Do you truly believe her to be so ruthless?” he finally asked, which Arcturus settled with barely a tilt of his head.

“Never forget how she came to be here, Alphard. That ritual isn't for the purveyors of the Light.” he said, the pewter grey of his eyes brightening for a moment. “It's a little viper you're nursing on your bosom.”

“That's not-” Alphard protested on his daughter's behalf, but was cut off.

“Let her deny it then.” Arcturus said quietly, his penetrative gaze settled on the, uncharacteristically silent, girl.

She said nothing.

For a long time.

Alphard looked flabbergasted, but Arcturus simply nodded and leaned back in his chair. There was an oddly satisfied look in his eye. Why anyone would look so... proud, upon finding out that someone was entirely willing to dispense of them, she had no clue.

_This damn family._

“Let us not dwell on unimportant issues. I will perform this task, if you're willing to repay my efforts later.”

“ _Very well.”_

Alexa was sure that her father was stunned speechless, but once again he proved himself to be more than she expected.

“Do you have a plan?”

“ _More or less.”_ Alexa admitted. If this was any other family, she would've played coy. But those were the Blacks. _“How good are you at casting the Unforgivables?”_

Arcturus didn't bat an eye.

“Proficient.”

Alphard visibly hesitated, glancing at his little daughter. _A little viper indeed_. He shook his head.

“I don't think it's-”

“Spare us the dramatics, Alphard. You've killed before. Let us not pretend to be what we are not.” Arcturus rebuked him, wearing a severe look on his face. “If my suspicions are correct, none of us are innocents. We all have blood on our hands.”

His matter-of-fact approach to killing and maiming was both admirable and entirely unsurprising. Years ago, she would've found the attitude revolting. Now Alexa struggled not to smile, seeing the reluctance on her father's face.

“I am educated in the subject.” he finally admitted, but couldn't resist a biting comment aimed at his Head of House. “Though I'm sure my casting leaves much to be desired in comparison.”

Arcturus apparently decided to let it slide, since he gestured for Alexa to continue. She considered the situation for a moment.

Since Hepzibah was already in contact with Tom Riddle, there was a chance he already new that the Founders' objects were in her possession. So simply removing her memory wouldn't do. If Riddle realised someone tampered with her memories... she struggled to contain an involuntary shiver, thinking about the potential consequences.

“ _I don't think we'll have to resort to murder. A strong Imperius should do the job well enough. I sort of assumed you would have more experience in such things.”_ she confessed, looking at Arcturus. He nodded in concurrence with her logic, looking entirely unperturbed. “ _Convince Lady Smith to place the items in her vault at Gringotts. You'll probably have to take her there to make sure it is done. There can be no room for doubt. After that's done, take her back home and erase her memories of the events.”_

As far as she knew, Hepzibah didn't have living relatives. Even if she died her possessions would then fall into the hands of the goblins. There's no way the little slyboots would give them up, especially if they realized what they were.

The plan, good it might be, still had two, glaring flaws. Unfortunately, she didn't have much of a choice. She didn't exactly have an abundance of options. Not in this damn, tiny body.

“What items are they?” Alphard spoke up curiously. Hence, the first flaw in her plan.

“ _An old, gold locket on a chain, with a green latter “S” engraved on it and a small, golden cup with carvings and jewels.”_

If any of them recognized the description, she wasn't able to say. She could only hope and pray that they didn't read too much about the Founders when they were at Hogwarts. Not everyone was a know-it-all, right? Still, she hurried to continue before they had too much time to think about it.

“ _Those are two of her most prized possessions. She will know which ones you are asking for.”_

She was surprised that it wasn't Arcturus who pointed out the second flaw in her plan. Alphard really didn't get enough credit.

“If the woman's memories of placing the artefacts in her Gringotts vault are removed, she will still think they are in her possession. If her murderer questions her about them...”

“ _Yes.”_ she admitted softly. _“When he finds out she lied, he'll kill her.”_

Alphard furrowed his brow, but didn't contradict her. They both turned to Arcturus and saw him entirely unsurprised. Obviously, he figured it out already. The death of Lady Smith didn't seem to weigh too heavily on his conscience. It was that thought, which brought back another important part of this story into her memory.

“ _There's also a House Elf - Hokey._ _Get Hepzibah to either free her or sell her before you leave. Hokey needs to be gone by the time the killer arrives. Erase her memory too.”_

“A House Elf is crucial to the story?”

The obvious scepticism in Arcturus' voice made her scowl. It made her glad that she didn't have to tell him the full story. If he knew that she was telling him this, only to save the House Elf from certain death, he probably wouldn't have bothered. As is, she was the one dealing out the cards. Feeling like he needed additional encouragement, she decided to reveal a sliver of the truth.

“By the year 2000, there won't be a single person to carry on your House's name.” she disclosed dispassionately. Both men froze in their seats, staring at the girl.

“Impossible.” her father whispered in shock.

Arcturus didn't waste time on denial. He clenched his jaw, a visible sign of the efforts to contain his anger. He looked ready to explode. The vein in his forehead was throbbing like crazy and his breathing grew heavy.

Alphard looked to his daughter to find her staring at their Paterfamilias. Suddenly, the older man shot out of his chair with surprising agility. Shockwaves of Magic emanated from his body as he briskly paced the room back and forth. Alexa breathed in, feeling his Magic brush up against her skin.

It was dark in nature, though admittedly not as dark as she would expect it to be. There was immense power in it though and she had no trouble at all envisioning Arcturus as a frightening force on the battlefield. No wonder he was made the Head of House. While his demeanour was nothing but intimidating, it was his Magic that truly inspired deference. And that's without even considering his sharp intelligence. The man commanded respect in every aspect.

When he finally stilled, it was to glare at Alexa. She could tell that he wanted to point his wand at her and forcefully shuffle through her mind to find out what would happen in the future, that would cause his family to fall so low. Alphard pointedly placing his hand inside his robe's pocket, brought a grimace to his face, but it was enough to dissuade him from any such attempt.

“Tell me now how to prevent this future, little imposter.” he gritted out through his teeth.

 _Back to "little imposter", huh?_ she thought, but didn't allow him to hear it. Instead, she conveyed:

_“Don't let Hepzibah's murderer get his hands on those items.”_

Her simple, but meaningful answer seemed to annoy him even more. With a heavy breath, Arcturus sat down on his chair again.

The Magic that used to run rampant around the room, now fluidly seeped back into his body. Such a show of control was enough for Alexa to become restless. She wanted to do Magic again. So much that the tips of her fingers itched with enthusiasm.

Once Arcturus collected himself, it wasn't long until his expression turned unreadable once again.

“Consider it done.”

“ _Good.”_

After she nodded, it was Alphard's turn to express his biggest worry.

“What about the payment?”

It wouldn't do to promise someone like Arcturus an unnamed favour at an unmentioned time. Alexa looked at her father gratefully. Maybe she was used to fending for herself, but it was still nice to haver somebody watch her back.

Arcturus had an answer ready.

“You will swear your loyalties to House Black. You will forget any previous or future alliances. This House and its survival will take precedence over any and every other need.”

The significance of making such a statement caused her to momentarily falter. Alphard watched his daughter pensively. Someone born into House Black would have no difficulty taking such an oath. The future of the House was more important than even the well-being of it's individual members. They were taught this since birth.

Alexa glanced at Alphard, feeling quite lost in the face of such a commitment. It would mean prioritizing Bellatrix and Pollux over Minerva, Remus or Molly and Arthur. Merlin, even if she gave her word, she wasn't sure she'd be able to keep it.

Alphard gave his daughter an encouraging nod and so she took a deep breath.

“ _I pledge my loyalty to House Black and its members. I will do everything in my power to ensure its survival and protect its future... and to those ends, I will do what I think is best for as long as I am able.”_

Arcturus raised an eyebrow at her last minute addition, but didn't rebuke it. He merely said:

“Toujours Pur.”

_Always Pure._

“Toujours Pur.” Alphard confirmed.

Both men turned to look at her, waiting.

“ _Toujours Pur.”_ Alexa repeated, sealing her fate with those two words.

* * *

June 1st 2000

Leaning on her knees, she bent over, breathing hard. Her legs were shaking from effort, lungs stuck in a perpetual burn. She was sure the scouts would be alerted by her heavy breathing.

_Damn._

Ever since her involuntary hiatus she was struggling to get back into shape. It turns out laying like a log of wood for over three months can have a negative impact on one's fitness. Who knew?

“You shouldn't push yourself so hard, Hermione. You've only recently left the hospital.” Oliver's concerned voice didn't surprise her. She was getting quite good at sensing other people's Magic. Not many knew how to conceal it well.

“I know. That's why Katie is standing over there, watching me like a mother hen.” she panted, pointing vaguely in her friend's direction. Oliver looked over, then chuckled. Hermione glanced up to see what' so funny.

Katie was literally tapping her foot with impatience. As soon as she made eye contact with her reluctant patient, she pointed to her wristwatch.

“Damn, my half-hour is up.” Hermione grumbled, straightening up with a huff.

Just then she saw Charlie approaching Katie. When he looked over, she waved in greeting, but he mustn't have seen her, because he continued on with the conversation as if nothing had happened. Usually they would run together in the morning, but today she couldn't go until the afternoon, because her faithful mollycoddler insisted on tagging along.

“Are you better?”

She looked back at Oliver. The guilt was written all over his face. So instead of answering the question he asked, she told him what he really needed to hear.

“It wasn't your fault Oliver.” she told him softly, putting a comforting hand on his arm. “I'm glad you got Luna to safety.”

“I should've...”

“No, you shouldn't have.” she interrupted with a slightly chastising tone. “Ginny was closer to me so she was my responsibility. If you took her, I would have never made it to Luna in time before His spell hit me and both of us would be dead.”

Oliver sighed, looking away from her. She didn't push him, because she knew exactly what he was feeling. As stupid as it sounds, sometimes it's easier to blame yourself than admit you are truly helpless. There was nothing he could've done better, but that doesn't mean he won't feel like shit. Until the next one somebody dies, of course.

“And don't let Charlie exhaust you until you drop dead yourself.”

Oliver laughed and she smiled at him, happy that her attempt at humour paid off. Apparently, since the incident Charlie turned into a real hard-ass, especially towards Oliver. Giving him the most tedious tasks, assigning him all of the late-night watch shifts. Katie told her that the two weren't the best of friends since Charlie exploded on Oliver in front of the whole Resistance.

“I'll live. But seriously Hermione... I'm really sorry.”

“I accept your apology on the condition that you won't ever apologise for that again. It's getting tedious.” Hermione teased him good-naturedly.

If she remembered it right, it was either his seventh or eight time apologising for something that wasn't his fault. Enough is enough. Oliver nodded, smiling sadly. Then his eyes drifted towards Katie and Charlie.

“You should go, they're waiting for you.”

Well, Katie certainly was. As soon as Hermione turned she started waving her hand around like a crazy person. Charlie on the other hand, looked incredibly serious, staring off somewhere into the distance. Uh-oh. She didn't like that face.

“You're probably right.” she gave him a quick hug and a kind smile. “Cheer up, Ollie. We'll do better next time.”

They separated and she headed straight towards Katie. The Healer looked visibly peeved so she made haste. It wouldn't do to piss off the person with the painkillers. She was two steps away when Charlie turned on his heel and left without a word.

_What the...?_

“Couldn't go any slower?” Katie sniped, seeing as she was within earshot now.

“Excuse me, Miss. You might not be aware that I am injured.” Hermione joked, fully aware that she was being a smart-ass. Katie's eyeroll was enough of a reaction for her to focus on matters a bit more important than her sluggish pace. “Why is Charlie so sour? Did something happen?”

“Nah, we were just talking.” Katie told her, grinning slyly. Hermione sighed.

_I'll take the bait._

“What about?”

“His breakup with Alicia.”

“Wha-?”

To say that she was surprised would be an understatement. She was floored. Charlie and Alicia were together basically since the Resistance was formed. He had a brief fling with Paravti at first, but then again, who didn't? Well, Charlie and Alicia were together since then. That's well over a year.

“I had no idea they were having trouble.” she exclaimed, mouth open.

“They've been fighting for months.”

“Charlie didn't say anything.” Hermione furrowed her brow, both sad and a little bit hurt. Didn't he trust her? She talked to him all the time about Ron...

Katie raised her eyes to the heavens.

“Yeah, I wonder why.”

She said it as if it was obvious, but Hermione just stared at her, even more confused. Katie giggled.

“You know, for the brightest witch of your age, you can be really oblivious.” she said with amused exasperation. Then she took the opportunity to repay her for that recent smart-mouthing. “Almost like Ron.”

Hermione inhaled deeply, holding her hand to her heart in mock-offence.

“Take that back right now!”

* * *

June 1st1959

For the next week her nerves were literally in shreds. Per her request, the House Elves were on the lookout for Arcturus' hawk. She needed to get some news on the Horcrux front and she needed them badly. Until the situation had been resolved, her heart would know no peace.

There was simply too much place for doubt. They could be too late. Hepzibah could break through the Imperius. Doubtful, since Arcturus was the one casting it, but conceivable still. What if they succeeded but Riddle would still create his Horcruxes, only using different objects? Unlikely, he was obsessed with using the Founders' objects.

The worst option by far, would be Arcturus being seen by someone. Not only would he become a suspect in Lady Smith's eventual murder, but he would also attract Riddle's attention. That could potentially spell doom for the whole House. There was nothing Riddle valued beyond his Horcruxes. Anyone who stood between him and his precious objects could count themselves dead by default.

But that wasn't the only topic that warranted some consideration. Her father's reaction to the whole thing was just as fascinating. There was no way that his perception of Alexandrine didn't change after finding out that she was willing to kill. And yet it didn't. Nothing was different between them since that day. He still read with her, walked around the garden with her, called her his “princess”.

Maybe finding out your child murdered someone, or many someone's, counted as an everyday occurrence among the Blacks, but still... She was surprised to learn about his own past, though she probably shouldn't have been. Alphard may have been Sirius' favourite uncle and now her father, but that didn't mean he was entirely innocent.

One couldn't mistake him for anything but a dangerous Wizard. It wasn't as overt as it was with Arcturus, whose power seemed to shift the air around his body. No, her father was a different type of threat.

She still remembered how the staff at Saint Mungo's treated him, as opposed to her mother. He was always so kind and loving when they were at home, that she's apparently forgotten the aloof Pureblood persona he portrayed to the world. Or maybe the personality he was portraying, was one of a loving father?

It was a brief thought in her mind that she dismissed just as quickly. Some things couldn't be faked. Like the stars glistening in his eyes when he first laid eyes on his daughter.

That didn't leave her any less shocked that his attitude towards his “baby” daughter hasn't changed or cooled in any way. On the contrary, they were closer than ever. The thoughtful, covert looks he used to direct her way were almost entirely gone. Now that he found out about her pragmatic, calculating nature, it seemed that a missing piece of the puzzle has finally been found.

It spoke volumes about Alphard's intelligence and intuition. He must've known, or at least strongly suspect, that she was hiding something from him, concealing an important part of her personality. And indeed she was.

It's been years since she last struggled to do what was necessary. If a Death Eater stood in front of her, she would no longer waste time trying to defeat them with childish hexes. She fought to kill, because the only other option was to be killed instead. Her survival instinct stripped her off many scrupules she used to proudly cultivate and she had no time to waste, mourning their loss.

That the ritual brought her to a time when Lord Voldemort was last in power, was the height of irony. She couldn't stop it, because by the time she grew up he would almost certainly have started already, but maybe she could delay him somehow.

Right now, she had no clue what she'd do if forced into his presence. It's a good thing she had about fifteen years to figure it out.

Because there was no doubt in her mind that some day, they would meet. Not when she was the favourite cousin of Bellatrix Black.

* * *

June 4th1959

Alphard put down the letter on the “read” pile, before picking up a new one. The mail has been gathering dust for three days now, because he was way too busy with an investment that Nott was trying to sneakily buy out from under his nose. Alexa knew that he was frustrated with the whole thing and more than eager to get the negotiations over with and the contract signed.

They've been quiet for the past half-hour. He- responding to the mail, she- trying to get her wobbly legs to hold her body weight. Since she mastered crawling, she was eager to get the walking thing over with.

When Charlie took over as the Leader of the Resistance after Minerva passed away, he insisted on a strict fitness regimen for the members. How much physical fitness impacted your spell work, was one of the things that Hogwarts regrettably didn't teach. After a while she started to understand why Harry always had the edge when it came to speed and durability in a duel. Had she know Quidditch could improve her duelling skills, she would've gotten on that damn broom years before.

As it was, she took to running with Charlie around the camp, everyday at dusk. She didn't stop after he had died. Understandably, by the end of her time as Hermione, she was quite physically fit. So to go from that, to crawling on the floor like a baby spider, was infuriating.

Her determination caused much muscle pain and a sore bottom from falling on the floor, but she was quite satisfied with her progress. She was almost eight months old, so it was still a bit early for walking, but honestly, she had no patience for being carried around anymore.

Now talking was a whole different issue. She knew words, of course, but in a weird way, her mouth was unused to forming them. So when she tried it for the first time, her words came out entirely blurred, sounding annoyingly similar to a child's babbling. How embarrassing!

Alphard laughed at her for nearly ten minutes after that debacle, so now she only practised when no one could hear her fail. She was looking forward to blowing his socks off sometime soon. Not to mention giving Daisy and Wispy a heart attack.

The two Elves hovered over her every moment of the day. The only time she had to herself was during the night and even then, Daisy still checked up on her every hour. Fortunately though, she wasn't constantly tired anymore, so that gave her a solid hour of learning to speak or strengthening her Occlumency shields before giving in to sleep.

“Your aunt Walburga is pregnant.” Alphard told her with a strong tone of surprise, then gave his daughter a meaningful look. “But I suppose you already knew that?”

“ _I did.”_ she grinned. _“Your niece or nephew is due in November.”_

“Is that why she stopped visiting?” he asked, moving right past her “niece or nephew” teaser.

“ _Yes, I think she is being careful about the pregnancy.”_

“But it's going to be fine, right? The baby will be healthy?”

Alphard's eyes focused directly on his daughter and Alexa smiled.

He and Cygnus might make jokes at the expense of their sister, but in the end they worried about her like any brother should. It was so sweet and considerate how the both of them always colluded to keep their father away from Walburga. She saw them doing it again after Lysette's funeral. They were there to support her when it mattered. Even if she didn't notice.

“ _In my first life it was, but we should still visit and show our support.”_

Alphard nodded thoughtfully and went on to write his response to the missive.

“We'll go this Sunday.”

Truth to be told, she wanted to visit Walburga. It would be surreal in the best sense to see her pregnant with Sirius. Months ago she had promised herself to do everything in her power to improve their relationship and she was fully committed to keeping that promise. Walburga would have to get used to her niece's presence in her life, because she intended to always be close by.

“It is done.” Alphard said suddenly and the graveness of his voice immediately garnered her full attention. “Arcturus sent over a copy of the evening's Daily Prophet. It will be published in an hour.”

Her heart pounded so loudly she could almost hear it.

“ _What does it say?”_

“Arcturus marked the second-to-last page.”

Alexa sighed heavily, the pent-up tension seeping out of her bones. The obituaries. She waited as Alphard scanned the page. His jaw was tight as he read through the announcement.

“Heart attack.” he finally said, the confusion clear in his voice. ”But Arcturus wasn't supposed to...?”

“ _He didn't...”_

Alexa paused for a moment, thinking. There was no Elf to frame so Riddle opted for something else. There were spells, Dark Magic of the sort she had no doubt Riddle would know, that could have deceivingly similar effects to a heart attack. He must've been enraged after finding out that Hepzibah didn't have the Founder's objects after all. Just like she thought he would be. Just like... she had hoped for.

“ _...Her murderer did afterwards. It means Arcturus had succeeded.”_

She closed her eyes, allowing herself only a moment of regret. Hepzibah was dead already, there was no saving her. That didn't mean she felt any less guilty about her involvement.

It was just another one of those instances when Riddle made her do things she never thought she was capable of doing. Only this time he did so without even knowing about it.

Hufflepuff's cup and Slytherin's locket were now safe with the Goblins. She could only hope it would be a change for the better and not for the worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back!  
> This Horcrux part of the plot took way more space than I expected, but I promise we'll be doing the time skips next week! Now, I'm finally ready to leave baby Hermione behind :)  
> For those of you who were wondering about Lysette's cause of death, I included a short mention at the beginning of this chapter. I briefly considered inventing a new Magical disease, but they all ended up sounding either stupid or way too pretentious.  
> This is what I settled on: Lysette's mother took a dangerous potion while she was pregnant with her daughter. The potion permanently affected her body and brain, giving her chronic migraines, weakening her immune system and so on. Lysette was frequently sick throughout her whole life and finally she died. You might remember Lysette mentioning "jokingly" that she had a better relationship with Wispy than she had with her own mother. Now you know why.  
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, thank you very much for reading and supporting the story. I'll see you all in the comment section, where I obsessively respond to every single comment you leave me... I know, so sad haha  
> Have a great New Year!  
> XOXO


	6. Chapter 6

August 28th 2000

Hermione wanted to shake him. Charlie was brooding again and she had no idea what the fuck was going on with him. She understood that the breakup with Alicia had to be tough, but it's been two months.

He got terribly snippy with her and Oliver this morning, when the three of them were running. In fact, it seemed that every day he got up on the wrong side of the bed. As soon as he saw Hermione and Oliver waiting for him at the tree line, he would scowl and brood for the next hour.

She never understood how much she has been relying on him until then. From the beginning, he was right by her side no matter what happened. When she went through some shit with Ron, when Minerva passed away... when her parents were killed.

Every morning and every night they would meet and he would always be there to make her feel better. When his familiar, comforting presence was so suddenly ripped away from her, she felt... alone. More alone than after the Battle.

At least then, even in all of the grief and heartbreak, she had a few people. Minerva, Ron, Ginny and Charlie. Now her mentor was dead, Ron wouldn't even look at her and Ginny treated her like some sort of nuisance. And now Charlie was slowly... abandoning her... and she had no idea why.

They were walking through the blasted forest for the past twenty minutes and he hasn't said a damn world. She missed him terribly. She NEEDEDhim. And for the love of all that is holy she's had enough!

“Stop.” she bit out, narrowly stopping herself from growling, she was so irritated. Charlie halted, turning around. Hermione threw up her hands. “Damn it! Will you look at me?”

Charlie's usually bright, brown eyes met her own, but they were dark today.

“What do you want?” he asked seemingly indifferent, but she could see the accusation in his eyes.

“I want to know why you're not talking to me.” Hermione asserted, more confidently than she felt. If he told her that he didn't want to be friends anymore... she didn't know if she could handle that.

“I thought you were too busy.”

“Busy with what?!” she almost screeched. He was so bloody frustrating. Charlie gave her an incredulous look.

“Never mind. Don't even bother.” he said, turning to walk away.

_Oh no you don't!_

Hermione broke into a sprint and caught up with him in the blink of an eye, grabbing him by the arm. He stopped again, this time stiff as a board.

“What are you doing, Hermione?” he spoke quietly, through gritted teeth. She stepped in front of him, worry starting to seep into her features.

“Don't walk away from me.” she meant to say it as a demand, but it came out more like she was pleading. Hermione sighed. Charlie's brow furrowed, almost in consternation. “I don't want to loose you, Charlie. Talk to me, please.”

He looked at her for a long moment. Then a bitter smile twisted his lips, resembling a grimace.

“Well, I cannot spend time with you anymore. It's not fucking healthy for me.”

Hermione stepped back in shock. She stared at him, unable to process what he was saying.

“But... why?”

“Hermione, you and...” he started, but then a silver ferret bounded through the trees. He sighed and looked at her expectantly.

“Fuck.” she murmured, then closed her eyes to focus on producing a Wandless Patronus, it wasn't exactly a piece of cake. An incredible warmth filled her body from head to toe, then slowly gathered in the palm of her hand. She allowed the feelings of love, joy and happiness to overwhelm her before reaching out. “EXPECTO PATRONUM!”

Hermione immediately knew it was successful, because a good Patronus always made her feel a bit depleted afterwards. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Charlie frozen in place, staring at her with absolute disbelief.

“Are-?”

But the rest of, whatever she was going to say, completely escaped her mind once he kissed her. It was so unexpected and yet, so incredible. As soon as she felt the warmth of his arms around her waist and the pressure of his lips on her own, she reacted.

Her body moved of its own accord, giving and receiving with everything she had. She melted into him, kissing and caressing in return. Thoughts were swimming in her mind like a whirlpool, but she couldn't put her finger on any of them. Any semblance of reason was abandoned as Charlie kept kissing her with a furious passion.

A moan escaped her when Charlie pressed her against something hard. The sound finally sobered her up enough to pull away. She felt lightheaded as she looked into his glowing, brown eyes.

“Charlie, what the hell?” Hermione muttered with confusion, panting from lack of oxygen. She realised he had her firmly in his arms, her legs wrapped around his hips, her back pressed against a tree. Charlie exhaled deeply, resting his forehead against hers.

“A fucking dragon.” he whispered breathlessly. She just kept staring at his face. He breathed out a laugh. “Your Patronus is a fucking dragon, Hermione.”

She looked in the direction where she sent her Patronus, but of course, it was already long gone. She went back to staring at Charlie.

“No it's not.” she said dumbly and he shook his head, laughing. Hermione could feel his broad, muscular chest rumbling as he did. She was suddenly very aware of the compromising position they were in. Her cheeks started to burn. “You should probably put me down.”

“Not so fast, darling.” he shook his head decidedly and she gaped at him. “Not until you explain some things. First of all, why the fuck didn't you tell me you had feelings for me? All this time I thought I was fucking hopeless.”

The irritation in his voice somehow sounded endearing to her. Not to mention the underlying implication of his words. If his kiss didn't say it loud enough, then he certainly remedied that right now. Charlie had feelings for her. It was surreal. She looked down, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

“Well... I don't know. I had a crush on you for the longest time. I didn't think anything would ever come of it because... well, you were older and Ron...” Hermione fumbled with her words, getting redder by the second. “I was hoping to dance with you at Bill's wedding, but... you know, everything went to shit and I didn't get to talk to you at all...”

“After the Battle.” he prompted her authoritatively when she fell silent. Hermione gave him a meaningful look.

“What was the point? You were sleeping with Parvati, everybody knew that. By the time you weren't, I started dating Ron. Then you moved on to Alicia and... you were together for so long, I thought you loved her.”

“And I thought you were falling for Wood.” he said grimly, staring right into her eyes. Hermione winced.

“Is that why you were behaving like this? I wasn't... I mean, I'm not in love with Oliver.”

“Hermione, I saw you two kissing last night.” Charlie sighed, resigned. Her eyes widened, but this time, she was quick to correct him.

“He kissed me. I asked him not to do that again. I don't have these sort of feelings for him. He's a good friend, but that's it.”

Charlie watched her for a long moment then he leaned in slowly, pausing just before their lips met, glancing into her eyes for approval. She gave it, closing the distance herself and for a short, sweet moment everything was clear between them. This kiss was much softer than the first one, only a light caress of their lips. Until Charlie bit her lower lip. Hard.

“Hey!” she gasped, staring at him accusingly.

“He's not fucking running with us anymore.” he said sternly, his brown eyes narrowing on her face. “I mean it. He wants you. I can't have him sniffing around.”

“What am I, a dog in heat?” she spat, staring him down ferociously. Charlie cracked a smile, then kissed her again, deeply and heatedly. She sighed when they parted.

“I wanted you since I first saw you raining holy hell on my brother.” he whispered with amusement. “Is that weird?”

“Depends, was it out first year?” she teased, making him chuckle.

“No, I think it must've been sometime during your sixth. When I visited for Christmas, remember?”

“Mhm.”

At this point Hermione was past talking. She felt like they both said what needed to be said. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him closer, kissing him with as much fire as she could muster without getting any of them burned. It seemed Charlie was done talking too. He pressed into her body more firmly, allowing her to feel the heat of his arousal between her legs. She shivered from a sudden wave of desire.

_Message received._

She ground herself into his erection, making him groan with need. Heat erupted in her core, quickly spreading to all of her pleasure spots. Charlie knew her well. He needed no more prompting to proceed, repeating her movements at a torturous pace, his large hands moving to cup her ass.

Hermione moaned as he pressed himself into her body with more force, digging his fingers into her soft flesh. Damn, she wanted him. She was rubbing her body all over him, fully ready to take things to the next level. Hermione felt him smile into their kiss as her hand sneaked between their bodies to undo his belt.

The sound of someone clearing their throat poured over her enthusiasm like a bucket of ice cold water. Pulling away from the kiss, the pair looked to the side and straight into the amused face of their most valuable contact. Charlie swore under his breath, causing Draco's smirk to deepen.

“Should I come back some other time?”

Hermione groaned miserably when she was lowered to the ground again.

_Just as it was getting good! Damn him!_

“Couldn't wait five more minutes, could you Malfoy?” she sniped irritably, putting her clothes to rights. Charlie sputtered.

“Excuse you!” Feeling unusually jubilant, Hermione batted her lashes innocently, as if she had no idea what this was about. Charlie glowered. “I can last a bit longer than five minutes, thank you very much.”

He may have pretended to take offence, but she could very well see the joyous glint in his eye. She winked.

“Rain check?”

“You bet.” he smiled, breaking character. She kissed him briefly on the cheek and went to talk to Malfoy.

He was obviously set on having some fun at their expense. Not much light-hearted jokes were passed around among the Death Eaters these days.

“Nice Patronus, by the way.” he told her mockingly, the infuriating smirk still plastered on his face. Hermione and Charlie looked at each other briefly.

“Shut up, Ferret.” they told him simultaneously.

Draco scowled.

  
  


* * *

August 28th 1961

If there was anything she truly despised, it was probably lukewarm, over-sweetened tea. Unfortunately, one had to make sacrifices for “the Greater Good”. If her cousin didn't look so damn happy about it, she would've bailed an hour ago. But Narcissa was so content she was literally humming, all the while pouring her another cup of the vile brew.

At this point Alexa would rather ask a House Elf to brew the tea and that said a lot.

“Cissy, I'm already full.” she told her cousin, glad that she didn't have to pretend, to struggle with speaking anymore.

At almost three years old, Alphard finally allowed her to stop faking her “baby voice”, mostly because she begged him. She felt utterly ridiculous doing it. When it came to acting like “a normal baby” her father had her unconditional trust. Especially after the “first word” debacle. Hell hath no fury like Walburga hearing her ten-month-old niece cursing out a Gnome.

Narcissa furrowed her blonde brows comically. She had her sixth birthday a few months ago and she was entering her “bratty” stage. Everything had to be the way she wanted it or a tantrum was inevitable.

“Can we play with your Dolly?” Alexandrine hurried to ask, feeling desperate for some reprieve.

Narcissa beamed at the mention of her favourite doll and left the table to grab it. Alexa concealed a sigh. A moment later a beautiful, blonde doll in a silk dress was shoved unceremoniously into her hands.

“Sweetheart, did you ask your cousin to wash her hands?” Druella asked with a tone of displeasure. The girls turned to see the lady of the manor standing in the doorway, her arms firmly across her chest. “She was playing outside with Dromeda and the dogs.”

Alexa felt her eye twitch. _I washed my fucking hands, you hag._ She was about to correct her Aunt, but didn't get the chance. Druella approached and took the doll from her hands to give back to her daughter.

“You shouldn't give your things to just anyone, Narcissa.” she scolded her daughter sternly. The two girls shared a brief, helpless look. “Put it back.”

The future Lady Malfoy hung her head, nodding obediently. Without looking back at Alexa, she turned on her heel and went to put the doll back in its rightful place. Druella's cool, ice blue eyes switched focus. Alexa stared right back.

“Your father is here to take you home.”

_And thank fuck for that._

“I want to say goodbye to Uncle before I go.” she told the woman instead. Druella's face became oddly tight around her lips and jaw.

“He is in his office. You cannot interrupt-”

“Uncle won't mind.” she threw behind her shoulder, already walking away. She heard Druella's disbelieving huff and struggled not to smirk.

Since Lysette died, the feud between her and Druella somehow transferred to her daughter. How that even happened, Alexa had no idea. She never thought someone would be so petty, as to blame a daughter for some perceived slights of the mother. Especially since her mother was dead...

Alas, she was mistaken. For Druella's pettiness knew no bounds. Not only did she use every opportunity to throw subtle jabs at her niece, she also did her best to turn her daughters against Alexa. Fortunately, Andromeda was too kind and thoughtful of a girl to give in to her mother's desires. She let her nagging in with on ear and out with the other.

Bella, funnily enough, adored her little cousin. Maybe because Alexa reminded her of herself when she was younger or maybe because it was clear that Cygnus favoured her. Whatever it was, made Bellatrix completely ignore her mother. To tell the truth, Bella's and Druella's relationship was cool in every respect. She was much closer with Cygnus and even if she wasn't, no one could say that Bella didn't have strong opinions of her own.

In that way, Narcissa was almost the exact opposite. She was too young and too easily-influenced to fully resist Druella's control. Narcissa and Bellatrix shared a very strong sisterly bond. Narcissa idolized her older sister and Bella basked in her admiration, repaying it with fierce protectiveness. The only thing that stood between them was this odd division in their household. Bellatrix and Cygnus against Druella and Narcissa, and then Andromeda, both the mediator and the forgotten, middle child thrown somewhere into the chaos.

Druella would never insult her directly, oh no. That wasn't the Slytherin way. Instead she chose to sabotage her relationship with Narcissa and engage in subtle digs, especially to embarrass her in front of strangers.

Over the years Alexa perfected the art of annoying that menace of a woman to the point of seething, without dropping the act of an innocent child. Druella was dismayed that a three-year-old girl with a smart mouth could turn the tables on her every time and make her look a fool in front of others.

Alexa knocked before walking into her Godfather's office. He smiled when he saw her and pushed back his chair, knowing what's about to happen.

“I gotta go home, Uncle Cygnus!” she exclaimed jovially before running off to throw herself on his lap. He chuckled, helping the little girl settle down.

“Do you, my daredevil? Is your father here already?”

“Yep!” she exclaimed, dutifully popping her "p".

Alphard told her it made her sound more childish. Cygnus laughed, hearing her endearing habit.

“Then we should probably go and meet him, shouldn't we?”

Without waiting for her answer Cygnus stood up, holding her close to his chest. Alexa threw her hands around his neck and the man chuckled, while heading out of his office.

When they walked out they bypassed Druella, who stood suspiciously close to the door, glaring. The struggle not to stick out her tongue was almost too great. Before she lost that fight, she gave the woman a less telling, but no less triumphant, grin.

Alexa was just as shocked as anyone that her relationship with Cygnus developed into such a close one. It wasn't to irk Druella, either. Well... it was, but not primarily for that reason. In time Alexa came to genuinely care for the man. Once you got to know him, Cygnus was fun and easy-going. Not to mention he spoiled her rotten.

In many ways he was more indulgent with Alexa than with any of his three daughters. Maybe it was the strict, Pureblood upbringing that made him so uptight when it came to raising his daughters. For example, none of them would be allowed to enter his office or interrupt his work like she just did. Their Christmas gifts weren't as ridiculously extravagant as hers. He never yelled at her, never got angry. She was pretty sure that none of his three daughter knew just how fun and carefree he could be.

Maybe Cygnus was more strict with them, because he was their father and therefore responsible for raising them right. With her, he could shed that burden, leave the discipline to Alphard and become more laid-back. Or maybe because he simply had more patience for her antics, because he didn't have to deal with her every day. It seemed as good an explanation as any.

She also noticed that physical touch wasn't something that Purebloods indulged in without proper cause, even with their children. So when she showered him with this type of affection, it disarmed him and made Cygnus uniquely relaxed in her company. Now she was more happy than ever that Lysette nominated him for her Godfather. In this family, she couldn't hope for a better one.

* * *

July 19th 1962

She was starting to sweat. Profusely. Maybe it was the middle-of-summer heat wave or the eleventh dress she just tried on. Alexa was betting on the second option. She sent Daisy a pleading look and the Elf smiled covertly before popping away.

“Bella, mercy.” she moaned, fully aware that she was being dramatic. She was four years old, damn it. Some dramatics were necessary to keep her cover, right?

“Stop goofing off. We have to pick something nice for Reggie's first birthday!” the older girl told her confidently, dismissing her protest with a wave of her hand. “Try the black one now.”

“I'm not wearing the black one, I'll get a sunstroke!”

Bellatrix made a face, huffed again and turned back to the array of dresses laid down on Alexa's bed. The fact that she wasn't nagging her to death to wear something dark only proved she knew how right her younger cousin was.

Daisy chose that moment to pop back in, carrying a trey with two, tall glasses and a jug of iced tea. Alexa could kiss her. Over the years she grew incredibly close with her personal Elf. They could communicate on a completely non-verbal level, so good was Daisy at understanding and anticipating her needs.

“Thank you, Daisy.”

“Little Lady drinks before the ice melts away.” the tiny Elf advised her with a radiant smile.

Alexa wasn't the only one who was growing up. Daisy wasn't the meek creature she used to be when Wispy first brought her to the Chateau. She really came into her own as Alexa's personal Elf and gained plenty of confidence. She was even starting to pick up on Wispy's bossy attitude! That part actually worried Alexa. She could only handle one mother hen in the house.

Bella looked sideways at the talkative Elf, but picked up her glass without saying a word. Alexa was quick to correct her.

“Say thank you, Bella.”

Her cousin had an annoyed look on her face, but Alexa just narrowed her eyes.

“Thank you, Elf.” the older girl acquiesced, rolling her eyes.

Alexa scowled, but decided to let it go for now. Baby steps. By now, most of her family was aware of her “weird” attitude toward House Elves. Most of them thought it was adorable or just another childish folly, but they indulged her nonetheless.

Oddly enough, Uncle Orion was the one who turned out the most susceptible to her impassioned arguments. She simply told him that it was beneath the dignity of a well-bred Wizard or Witch to engage in petty violence towards lesser creatures who wouldn't even defend themselves. If one couldn't control their Elf without the threat of violence, they showed themselves to be weak and dishonourable.

One thing she learned about Orion was how highly he valued his honour and the honour of House Black. Not to mention that since Walburga provided him with not one, but two heirs, he became much kinder in general. His wife as well. It seemed that a huge burden was take off their shoulders. It didn't much improve Pollux's attitude, but that was probably way too tall of an order.

“How about the blue one, then?” Bella offered after they both downed their glass of iced tea.

Alexa smiled, hearing her cousin's conciliatory tone. Teaching spoilt, Pureblood children about compromise was how she imagined birthing pains to be.

“I'll try it on.” she agreed easily, putting down her glass.

She undressed, then put the next dress on and waited patiently while Daisy buttoned her up on the back. The baby blue dress was pretty, loose and simple, it would do well in this weather. Bella came up to stand next to her and judged her reflection with a critical eye.

As they both got older, the similarities between the two girls gave way to their distinct features. Bella had her mother's heavy lidded eyes with long eyelashes and the typical Black colouring. Her skin was light as alabaster and her eyes a beautiful shade of slate grey. She was also quite tall for her age and had sharper facial features overall. Her jaw was stronger than Alexa's and her mouth thinner, but wider.

Alexa's looks were a very fortunate combination of both her parents'. The colour of her hair as well as long, thick lashes and sharp, high cheekbones could only be credited to House Black. Lysette bestowed upon her a dainty, feminine nose and well-shaped, pouty lips. Her eyes, of course, were also blue, only instead of a beautiful azure, Alexa's were a gorgeous, intense sapphire.

Only her complexion was really her own. The Blacks were usually quite pale with a rosy undertone, the Selwyns apparently had golden, slightly more tan skin. Alexa's skin tone turned out to be a very cool, satiny olive. It was still light, but definitely not as light as her cousin's.

All in all, they were both gorgeous girls in their own right. And although there were many visible differences between them, but that didn't stop random strangers from rhapsodizing about the family resemblance and for only one reason. The hair.

Oh, the hair. How hopeful she was it would turn out straight, but no such luck. Bella's hair was a thick mass of tight, springy curls that resembled dark, shiny corkscrews on her head. In a funny way, they reminded her of her own hair as Hermione, in that they were almost impossible to contain and annoyed the hell out of her.

In this life she was blessed with her mother's hair texture. Her locks, though just as dark and plentiful, weren't as tightly coiled. They were more relaxed, falling down her back in smooth waves. Unless the air was really humid, they wouldn't frizz on her, which made them a lot easier to maintain.

Not that she did much maintaining these days, mind you. Daisy was the one washing, conditioning and brushing them obsessively. Yeah, it turns out that Pureblood children weren't expect to do... much of anything. They only had to learn manners and avoid brining attention to themselves.

She already had that conversation with Alphard and they mutually decided that this solution didn't suit them. As a result, Alexa was kind of the wild card child in their family. It made for entertaining gatherings, which Cygnus certainly appreciated.

“It will do.” Bella finally gave her approval, looking overly serious. Alexa hid a smile.

“Are you excited for Hogwarts?” she asked while her older cousin started tying a matching, blue ribbon around her hair. Bella was starting her schooling in just over a week.

“Yes! Father is taking me to Ollivander's tomorrow!”

She could see the joy in Bella's eyes when she looked into their reflection, in the mirror. It would've been way easier to share her happiness if she didn't remember her wand so... vividly.

 _12 ¾ walnut wand with a dragon heartstring core, s_ he thought, struggling with her own bitterness. It was a good wand and it served her well, but it would serve its rightful owner even better.

Alexa looked at her cousin's reflection once again. It was easy to forget they were the same person. Especially when Bella was behind her, smiling with affection as she gently brushed her fingers through her hair. Alexa straightened her back and smiled at her cousin.

“Write me, okay? I'll miss you.”

Bella looked up and smiled widely, her slate grey eyes alight with mirth.

“You won't cry like Cissa did, will you?”

Alexa burst out laughing, the tension suddenly dissipating.

“I will if you don't write.”

Bella giggled.

“Then I guess I have no choice.”

* * *

March 7th 1963

Whatever in the hell possessed her to ask Arcturus for help, deserved to be wiped out of this world and erased from history. At this point, it would be preferable to singe off her father's second eyebrow.

“Get up.”

Alexa winced. Even his voice was starting to grate on her nerves. Not that she would dare say so out loud. Not only were all of her muscles aching and knees scraped bloody, she was starting to get queasy in her stomach.

“Quick, girl. I don't have all day.”

Huffing, she picked herself off the ground and stood on wobbly legs.

“Why are you antagonizing me? Shouldn't I focus and meditate or something?” she demanded, teeth gritting in irritation.

“That's how children are taught to control their magic, but you can already control yours.”

“Can I?” she grumbled, patting her pants to rid them of dirt. “I think Father would disagree.”

Arcturus' previously impassive face took on a look of displeasure.

“A child's body is not meant to store so much magical power. It is known to happen with exceptionally powerful children, but most of the time it results in Accidental Magic. Their Magic overflows and acts out. Your case is different. You are already a fully educated Witch and you have too much control for your Magic to escape on its own. The problem comes when you call on it. There's too much of it for you to fully control, so it comes out in riotous bursts. It's basic Magical Theory.”

She scrunched up her face. Arcturus was the only one who could make her feel like a dunderhead. Since Professor Snape, at least.

“Hogwarts doesn't teach Magical Theory anymore.” she complained, feeling utterly foolish. Arcturus raised a single brow.

“That's because ignorant children weren't interested in taking it.”

“If I could, I would've.” Alexa huffed, resting her hands on her hips. “So why exactly was I dodging your spells for the past two hours?”

“Physical exhaustion will take the edge off. There won't be as much power to your spells.”

She perked up.

“So does that mean you'll be dodging my spells next?”

Her nodded and Alexa's lips formed into a sinister smile.

“The revenge will be mine.”

“It will be a cold day in hell before I am intimidated by a five-year-old.” he drawled coldly, though she could see a smirk tugging at his lips.

“Care to bet on it?” she offered haughtily. He merely tilted his head to the side, showing only the barest sign of interest. “If I win our little spar, you're' giving all of your House Elves brand new tuxedos.”

His expression didn't change an inch.

“WHEN I win, you'll be running ten laps around the Chateau.”

She clneched her jaw. The emphasis he put on the word “when” almost caused her to pop a vein.

_Cocky bastard._

“Bring it on, old man.”

The Black Patriarch quirked a brow at the challenge.

It was clear to her that Alphard was fighting his amusement as she threw herself on the marble floor at his feet. Rusty didn't bother to hide his distaste as her sweaty, dirtied form sullied his pristine floors. She groaned and her father fell into a coughing fit to cover up for his ill-concealed laughter.

“Don't even say it.” she whined pitifully, rolling onto her back. “I got my ass handed to me by a sixty-year-old man.”

Alphard was barely holding it together.

“Never bet against a Slytherin, princess.” he teased, taking her hand to help his daughter back up. “Rusty, I think some water wouldn't go amiss.”

The Elf threw his young Mistress a dark look.

“Little Lady needs a bath. I'll be calling Daisy.”

Alexa gave him a sheepish look.

“Sorry about the floor, Rusty.”

The butler-impersonating Elf harrumphed and disappeared with a loud pop.

“You're poison-testing that glass of water.” she grumbled dejectedly.

This time her father didn't even bother to hide his laughter. He laughed so hard, the sound of it bounced right off the marble. Well, it seemed her day wasn't getting any better.

* * *

June 13th 1964

As she broke through the surface, the scorching, noon sun hit her straight in the face. She took a deep breath, allowing the cool water to wash over her shoulders and neck once again, before pulling herself up on the pool ladder. As water finally stopped blocking her ears, she heard Dromeda's giggles.

“You swim like a mermaid!”

Alexa smiled, taking a towel from Rusty's hand.

“Thank you.” she said to him politely, then plopped down on the sunbed next to her cousin. “You should take a dip too. The water's amazing.”

“No, thanks. I have only one more week to get a beautiful tan.” Andromeda laughed, stretching out in the sun like a cat. “I love this place.”

Alexa laughed. The Selwyn Villa in Southern France was part of her mother's dowry when she married Alphard. As per their marriage contract, it went to their children or in this case, child. Father and daughter took to spending a good part of their summers in the Villa. It was beautiful, bright and spacious. She could easily imagine Lysette walking through those rooms, sun-tanning near the pool and hoarding new types of flowers in the greenhouse.

“It's great, isn't it? I hope Bella will be up soon.”

Surprisingly, her older cousin wasn't what you would call “an early riser”.

“I still can't believe Cissa didn't come.” Dromeda mentioned off-hand. “It's such a shame she had to get sick right now!”

Alexa didn't say anything to that. She had a strong suspicion that Narcissa wasn't sick at all. Druella tried three different excuses before her youngest suddenly “fell ill with the flu”. Of course, wizarding flu was no joke, but the timing was awfully convenient, as well as the fact that even Narcissa's sisters weren't allow to see her, because the flu was contagious.

The only upside was, that left no reason to forbid Andromeda and Bellatrix from coming over. In fact, Alphard argued with his sister-in-law, it would be best to get the girls away from the house until Narcissa got better. Cygnus supported the idea and so his wife had to reluctantly surrender.

“I know you think Cissa doesn't like you, but that's not true.” Dromeda spoke up softly, surprising Alexa with her astuteness.

“She never comes over to the Chateau anymore.” Alexa shook her head with disappointment. “When I come over she's either away with your mother or barely comes out of her room for ten minutes. What am I supposed to think?”

“It's difficult for her, you know how much she looks up to our Mother. And Mother...” Dromeda cut off, clearly looking for a suitably polite word to describe Druella's sentiments towards Alexa. Seeing her cousin stumped, Alexa decided to help out.

“... wants me to keel over and die?”

As soon as their eyes met, the girls erupted into giggles. Dromeda turned to the side, clutching her stomach. They were so busy laughing, they failed to notice Bella's arrival.

“What are you two guffawing about again?” she rolled her eyes, gathering her unruly hair on top of her head.

She was already dressed in a forest green, one-piece swimsuit. Since Bella got Sorted into the House of the Snake two years ago, she was obsessed with the colour.

Alexa and Andromeda looked at each other with conspiratorial smiles.

“Nothing.” Dromeda hummed happily, making her sister roll her eyes even harder.

“You couldn't lie to save your life, Dromeda. Can't believe you escaped Hufflepuff.” Bella teased her sister, making Alexa laugh and Andromeda scoff.

Oh, they all knew how well Dromeda settled into her Slytherin heritage. Out of the three Black sisters, she was the most perceptive be a mile and arguably the most cunning too. Just because she didn't often use her observational skills for mischievous ends, that didn't make her any less of a Slytherin.

Still, Andromeda would've been well-suited for Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff as well and apparently the Sorting Hat did briefly contemplate those options. Dromeda lacked the infamous Black temper and, in fact, was probably the most even-tempered person in the family. She was also studious and the most personable, and open-minded out of the three.

“Well, I can't believe you escaped Gryffindor, Bella.” Alexa smiled at her cousin. “You're like a lioness come to life!”

Two years ago this joke would've gotten her a mild Stinging Hex to the rear, but today Bella just huffed, feigning offence. Alexa hid a smirk.

She was slowly priming her family for Sirius' Sorting. By the time she was finished, she hoped to have them completely desensitized to the idea. Especially Orion and Walburga, who were already bored to tears of hearing her drone on an on about the House of Lions.

“Will you be tanning with us, Bella?” Dromeda asked, turning on her side.

“I think I'll have a swim first. It's like the inside of a cauldron in here.”

“I'll go with you.” Alexa jumped up, thoroughly bored with laying down already. Ignoring Dromeda's giggles, she turned to Rusty. “Can we please have some more lemonade?”

The Elf bowed stiffly.

“Whatever the young Lady wishes.”

“Thank you!” she threw in quickly, but he already popped away.

Rusty wasn't one of those Elves who got teary eyed when she treated them with basic respect. He was as unmovable as an iceberg, but she delighted in the thought that one day she would make him crack a smile. Even the tiniest one would be a tremendous success after watching his stony expression for so many years. Even Arcturus smiled sometimes! Well, it was more of a smirk than a smile, but still!

“Where's Daisy?” Bella asked indifferently when Rusty disappeared.

Alexa had to bite her lower lip in order to avoid beaming at her cousin like an idiot. She got her to learn an Elf's name!

“I sent her shopping. She loves buying clothes.”

Bella's eyebrows lifted up to her hairline.

“You sent her ALONE to buy YOUR clothes?” she asked incredulously, then looked to her younger sister for help. Andromeda shrugged, looking equally sceptical. Alexa sighed.

“I hate shopping, she loves it. It's a win-win.”

Andromeda giggled and stood up from the sunbed.

“I knew I liked you for a reason. Come, I think I'll have that swim now”

Alexa hummed happily. She wasn't the only one who got bored to tears while shopping for clothes. Dromeda shared her dislike for the activity. Bella's brows were still furrowed, even as she followed them to the pool.

“You two are such weirdos sometimes, I swear.”

_Well... a Mudblood and a Blood-Traitor would stick out in a Pureblood family like a sore thumb, wouldn't they?_

* * *

April 2nd 1965

Her feet were starting to hurt from all the tiptoeing around, but she clenched her teeth and went on, dutifully following her cousin through the maze of cabinets. Finally he bent over and slowly opened one of them. It creaked, breaking the eerie silence and both of them winced at the awful sound. Sirius went on his knees and reached so deep inside the cabinet she could only see his butt sticking out. She put her hand to her mouth, stifling her giggles. Her hand was itching.

“If you pinch me again, I'm going to kill you.” her cousin's muffled whisper came from the cabinet.

She doubled over, shaking from laughter. It was hilarious the last time she did it. He squealed like a baby piglet.

“What do we have here?” came a cold voice from behind them.

Alexa swung around, yelling out in surprise. Her scream was followed by a loud thump and a groan from inside the cabinet. Walburga narrowed her eyes at the two miscreants, rummaging through her kitchen at 6 in the morning. Alexa swallowed.

She glanced down when Sirius' butt hit her in the leg. The boy picked himself up and dusted himself off. His mother tapped her foot impatiently.

“Sirius Orion Black. What do you have to say for yourself?”

He was pressing one of his hands to the sore spot on the back of his head, wincing. Nonetheless, he managed a sheepish smile.

“Good morning, Mother.”

Walburga raised her eyebrow, looking distinctly unamused.

“It certainly would've been good, If I hadn't found my firstborn plundering the kitchen like a street rat.”

“We were hungry-” Sirius protested indignantly, but was interrupted by a light smack upside the head.

“A thief and a liar. This is the cabinet with sweets, not food!” Walburga berated her son.

Sirius groaned and went right back to massaging his head. Alexa chortled at his sour expression, which unfortunately drew her Aunt's attention. Walburga rounded on her niece with the speed of a bullet.

“You're in trouble too, young lady! April Fool's is over!

Alexa reeled back. Walburga was bloody intimidating when she was angry. She raised her hands in surrender.

“Sorry, Aunt Burga. We really were hungry, though.”

The woman's bird-like, grey eyes narrowed even further. She noted the crumpled pyjamas and dark circles under their eyes.

“Because you stayed up all night again?”

“No!” Sirius objected way too quickly.

“Yes.” Alexa admitted only a second later, then winced as her cousin got smacked again.

“Don't lie to your Mother!” Walburga scowled at her son, whose face was starting to turn brick red from embarrassment. The woman took a deep breath, probably to calm herself. “You couldn't wait until breakfast?”

“We just wanted a snack. Breakfast is in three hours. We're really sorry, Aunt Burga.” Alexa apologised again, feeling sufficiently embarrassed too.

“Traitor.” Sirius whispered under his breath, then ducked before another smack reached his head.

“Did you say something, son?” Walburga questioned sternly, but the boy was too busy looking down at the floor. She raised her eyes to the heavens, probably praying for patience. Then she called: “Kreacher!”

The Elf appeared only a heartbeat later, looking perfectly composed and like he wasn't sleeping at all. He took in the scene before him curiously.

“Prepare something light for the children. Toast or a fruit salad will be sufficient.” she instructed confidently, then regarded her son with a critical eye. Sirius, who perked right up at the mention of food, suddenly diminished again. Walburga's lips twitched. “And an ice-pack for the Black Heir, if you please. It seems he had an accident.”

Alexa giggled into her hand again and Sirius' face brightened, morphing into a goofy grin. Kreacher immediately went on to act on his Mistress' orders. Walburga's gaze swept over the children once more.

“Don't eat too much, you'll still be joining us for breakfast, understood?”

They nodded eagerly, looking like two, dark-haired puppets and Walburga turned on her heel. She then left the kitchen, presumably to change out of her nightgown and the kids shared a look. Sirius broke first, doubling over with laughter and a moment later Alexa followed suit.

“You're growing a second head back there!” she guffawed, pointing at his head. He roared with laughter.

“Should've seen your face when she came at you!”

“Not for long, though!” she defended herself with a chuckle. “You should've known your mother can't be fooled. You look like you haven't slept a wink!”

“Yeah? And you think your bed-head has anyone fooled?” Sirius teased her right back, gently tugging down one of her curls. Alexa huffed, pushing back her messy hair. Sirius smacked his lips together with mock disapproval. “That sort of hair is a sign of a traitor.”

“You should be happy I told. Or would you rather eat your own fingernails for the next three hours?” she taunted, climbing on top of a stool.

Sirius followed, managing the feat with a bit more ease. Even though she was a year older, he recently surpassed her in height by a few centimetres. Strangers often confused them for twins, they looked so similar at this age.

Sirius' no doubt, brilliant quip was intercepted by the arrival of their plates. His silver grey eyes zoomed in on the golden toast and from that moment conversation became a thing of the past.

* * *

October 12th 1966

This year Narcissa was finally joining her sisters at Hogwarts. It played to Alexa's advantage that ever since Bella and Andromeda disappeared for ten months of the year, the Black brothers were already big enough for her to pleasantly spent time with.

She had a sneaking feeling that Alphard was starting to get a bit jealous about all the time she spent at Grimmuald. Today wasn't one of those days however, because this whole week he was on a business trip. Understandably, he was only too happy to leave his daughter in Walburga's capable hands.

The mischief she got up to with Sirius was undeniably fun, but she especially enjoyed those days when she arrived early enough to spend some quiet time alone with Reggie, before that ball of energy that was his brother, dragged his bottom off the bed.

Today, they secreted themselves away in the library, a place where Sirius wouldn't voluntarily step into. Even when she dragged him inside, he would just sit there like an oaf and wait until she was done reading, while annoying her with incessant chatter the whole time.

Regulus was almost a complete opposite of his boisterous brother. He was much more even-tempered and thoughtful. At five-years old, he was already quite a decent reader himself and enjoyed sitting in the library with his cousin, often asking questions about difficult words or seeking clarification on unknown concepts. Regulus wasn't as head-strong as Sirius, he preferred to quietly observe and listen to others speak, instead of shouting down he whole house.

Not to mention, he was absolutely the most adorable little boy she has ever seen. Sirius was cute, no doubt about it. She could already see an inkling of those features that would make him so handsome as he got older, absolutely. Physically they were equally attractive, but their eyes were different.

Sirius' were a bold, bright grey and reminded her of a dazzling lightning. Regulus' were a slightly darker, smoky grey; soothing and full of intelligence. Whereas Sirius was wild and as uncontrollable as a force of nature, Regulus was collected and composed, but also full of mystery.

Like a typical Gryffindor, Sirius wore his heart on his sleeve and his emotions plainly written on his face. Regulus was much more reserved and therefore difficult to decipher. He rarely spoke about himself or brought attention to his person, always choosing to stay on the side lines, in his brother's shadow.

Reggie never failed to bring a smile to her face. Not because he was goofing around and throwing out jokes every five seconds, but because he had such a pure, instinctive kindness in him, that she both envied and admired. Regulus was a dreamer at heart and could often be caught lost in his thoughts.

Ever since Regulus started to talk, they had a very unique connection, which Sirius often teased them about. She didn't mind though. She was growing fiercely protective of Regulus. More than anything, she and Sirius had that in common. They would do almost anything to make his younger brother smile.

“Do people really use rat tails in potions?” Reggie asked, looking up at his cousin to see her nod. He furrowed his brows. “But you said it's not allowed to use toads anymore. So why is it allowed to use rats?”

Alexa smiled and brushed her hand through his short curls.

“It doesn't make much sense, does it? The Ministry would probably say that rats can live without tails and that's why.”

“Is that why Aunt Cassiopeia bought those five rats recently?”

His innocent inquiry made Alexa giggle.

“Knowing my Godmother, it might just be the reason.” she joked and approached the shelf to select a new volume. “Read on, they write about Unicorns next.”

Reggie nodded and dutifully went back to his book. They heard the door creaking open, but weren't too worried about sudden noises or explosions.

 _After all, it's still at least an hour too early for Sirius to be up,_ she thought mockingly.

The sound of heels clicking against the hardwood was a dead giveaway for Walburga's arrival.

“There was a missive from Arcturus, he expects you in half an hour for your training. Come, I'll help you get ready.”

Alexandrine nodded and approached Reggie.

“I'll be back in the evening. We'll talk about the Unicorns then, okay?” she whispered into his ear and the boy nodded, a bright smile on his face.

She kissed the top of his head and went to follow her Aunt. She didn't miss the softness in Walburga's eyes as she watched her niece interact with her youngest son. Alexa smiled at the woman and headed to her room.

She was at Grimmuald so often in the last few years that she eventually claimed one of the guest rooms as her own. It was right across the hall from Sirius, which suited them very nicely for their late-night escapades.

It was really difficult to deny him something when he got so bloody excited about it that he just had to shake her awake in the middle of the night. Only she still rose in the early morning hours and Sirius would laze around until noon.

Aunt Walburga followed her inside and closed the door behind her. Daisy was already there, preparing her workout clothes. Alexa slipped out of her dress and into the comfortable tunic with tights. Then she put on her dragon hide boots.

She didn't want to think how much the whole gear was worth, but after a few accidents, Alphard made sure her attire was entirely non-flammable. Daisy was about to take care of her hair, but Walburga waved her away.

She positioned Alexa on a stool and picked up her hairbrush, then went on carefully detangling her hair. Alexa waited patiently, watching her Aunt work in the mirror's reflection. After thoroughly brushing through her thick, dark locks, she took out her wand and started waving it around in a complicated pattern.

She noticed Alexa's eyes zooming in on her movements and smiled.

“I'll teach you when you get your wand. This one is to smooth out your hair.” she advised, repeating the movements a bit slower. “They shouldn't frizz out during the day. Now this... this is going to give them a nice, healthy shine. And finally...”

Walburga started continuously moving her wand in small circles. Alexa watched, eyes wide, as her hair started braiding itself into a comfortable, even braid. What the...?

“Does it do a ponytail too?” she couldn't help, but ask. It looked so easy! Walburga chuckled, hearing her enthusiasm.

“I know a few. Different types of braids, a topknot and a ponytail, yes.”

_Lavender would piss herself._

How come she's never known such spells even existed?

“Is the spell from a book, Aunt Burga?” she asked shrewdly, taking the finished braid in hand to inspect it more closely. Perfectly even. _Damn._ Walburga shook her head.

“No, it's traditionally passed on from mother to daughter.”

Alexa grimaced. So it's another one of those secret, Pureblood tricks that they weren't willing to share with lowly Mudbloods.

_Fucking knew it._

Alexa thanked her aunt and headed out, going straight to the floo. The family knew, or thought they knew, that she had trouble with Accidental Magic. Of course they asked Alphard why he wouldn't help her with the meditations himself, but the questions swiftly ended when he redirected them to Arcturus.

In truth, they weren't wasting their time on any more meditations. Instead they would train their bottoms off. Alexa had to frequently expel her pent up energy and she did so by hurling various spells at Arcturus. Presently, he was the only one she could imagine getting out of their sparing sessions unscathed. He had this incredibly powerful blood shield all around his body, that always allowed him to leave without a single scratch.

The shield either entirely absorbed or even worse, deflected all of her spells. The only way to get rid of it, would be to entirely exhaust him and so far that hasn't happened. The man had incredible stamina and a huge reserve of Magic. That didn't mean she couldn't get him to break a sweat, oh no. By the end, he was always panting and glaring at her. She suspected that such a powerful shield had to take a lot from the caster. That he was able to hold it for two hours at a time was unbelievable in itself. Without a doubt, the worst part of it was... that he refused to teach her.

_Selfish old man._

As she stepped through the floo in his London villa, Alexa's thoughts returned to her Aunt.

She knew Walburga loved taking care of her. Doing her hair, picking out her clothes, taking her shopping. Although at times it felt terribly boring, she would never say so.

Their personal tragedies left them closer than Alexa ever expected to be with the woman, that used to screech at her from her portrait. After all, Walburga lost her daughter and Alexa her mother. Overtime they stepped in for each other, filling those empty spaces in their lives. At least somewhat.

Walburga had a daughter to care for and dote on, one she had an entirely different bond with than she had with her two sons. Her little niece was the only person she was allowed to show some human emotion towards. In Pureblood culture, as Alexa quickly learned, children weren't supposed to be coddled, especially the sons. They were supposed to be raised with strict rules and a heavy hand. The daughters, however, there was some leeway with.

The Fathers were still expected to be almost entirely unfeeling and very protective of their daughters. They were the ones responsible for negotiating marriage contracts and handing them off to proper husbands. The Mothers however, were mostly tasked with ensuring the girls carried themselves with dignity and modesty, teaching them to become proper, Pureblood ladies.

Walburga gladly took those responsibilities from Alphard's shoulders and when Alexa was six years old, she joined Sirius in etiquette training. It took her six months, learning all of those stuffy, Pureblood customs and unending rules, but in the end Walburga was satisfied. With Alexa. Sirius would be repeating the ordeal this year.

Normally, it would've been hilarious to watch him struggle, but unfortunately Alexa knew that she had another wave of training to pass before she went to school. And that would be no fun at all.

However, with responsibilities came privileges. It was normal and somewhat expected for Pureblood mothers to be a bit more lenient with their girls. Not too lenient, obviously, especially in public. But in private, it gave Walburga an outlet to show and receive some affection from another human being.

It was unacceptable for a married, Pureblood woman to be publicly affectionate towards anyone, but their daughters. Anything else would be seen as a weakness and taken horribly. In private, they could also show affection to their husbands or sons... and that's it.

Regulus was a little momma's boy so that worked like a charm, but Sirius preferred annoying his mother to cuddling with her and their father... well, Orion just wasn't an affectionate person by nature.

Alexa thought all of those those rules to be ridiculous and took to breaking them will-nilly. By now, most of her family was used to her “overly-friendly” ways. It was a bumpy road and they still had a long way too go, but at least Walburga didn't flinch anymore when hugged by her niece. Same for Cassiopeia and Orion, though he was still the most resistant to the idea and she would never dare to hug him in public.

Alphard never had a problem showing affection to his daughter and she loved him for it even more. Cygnus was the most surprising, because he took to her kindness like fish to water. He considered it an endearing trait and truth to be told, he probably showed more tenderness with his Goddaughter than with any of his actual daughters.

As a result of her efforts, the whole family kind of... softened, at least where she was concerned. She was the youngest girl, the niece they didn't have to discipline or be stern with. They treated her like a princess, indulging her as much as they could and weathering all of her unusual quirks with a fond smile. Whether it was her incessant hugs, her endless blathering about Gryffindor or tirades about House Elves.

She ingratiated herself into House Black, sticking to its members like glue. After all, she had a promise to keep.

 _Toujours Pur_.

* * *

May 18th 1967

When she found out that Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour wasn't yet open, she was greatly disappointed. It's been years since she had a taste of his masterpiece. Thankfully, Flourish & Blotts was already open. So was Ollivanders, Madam Malkin's and Gringotts. In some ways, Diagon Alley looked just the same. She half expected to see the bright storefront of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

After years of wartime, a real life bookstore seemed like a luxury. Even with the five or six incredible libraries she had access to thanks to her family. But there was something different and special to walking inside a bookstore, where you're immediately hit with the smell of fresh ink and new parchment.

It didn't take long for Alphard to learn about his daughter's bibliophilic tendencies. The the two, massive, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in her room were a dead giveaway. The steady stream of books from her room to the library didn't stop since it was believable for Alexa to start reading by herself.

Until then, they were careful even at home, worried about clueing in the House Elves that something might be amiss with their “little Lady”. Not that she thought any of their House Elves would ever betray them, but Alphard advised her to edge on the side of caution. She suspected that it might've just been a cover for his desire to read to her out loud.

For even if he had full knowledge that Alexa was about his age, that didn't stop him from treating her like he would his little princess sometimes. Alexa didn't begrudge him for it.

He already lost his wife and the ability to truly teach his child to walk, talk or read. She wanted him to have as close of an experience to actual parenting as she could and if that meant she had to listen while he read something aloud, then damn it, she would.

Especially since she would most likely end up being his only child. Alphard couldn't imagine anyone stepping in for Lysette, though not for the lack of willing ladies. As soon as the mandatory grieving period was over, the Pureblood ladies pounced on the newly-widowed, handsome Black scion.

More than once, Alphard found himself at an event or societal function, cornered by society wives, trying to push on him their spinster daughters. Or worse, handsy, older widows. Those were way more difficult to get rid off politely.

This time it was one of the old-maids herself that cornered them in front of Flourish & Blotts, just before they could walk inside. Alexa waited patiently, only half-listening as her father tried to cut the small-talk short.

She was looking around the street, watching the Wizards and Witches rushing in every direction. A shockingly bright head of bright, blonde hair caught her attention.

Abraxas Malfoy looked very much like every man in his family. She wondered what kind of genetic cocktail these people had, that they all came out with the exact same colouring. Alexa remembered seeing him with Lucius at Lysette's funeral and he looked like he didn't age a day. Only this time he wasn't accompanied by his son.

The man he was speaking to was dressed in a simple, but elegant black suit and a coat. She could tell from his profile that he would be very handsome. He had a strong, chiselled jawline and high, pronounced cheekbones. The thick, jet black hair immediately made her think of her own family, especially his symmetrical, roman nose, which looked remarkably similar to that of her father and uncle Cygnus. This man however, was even taller than any of them, which was impressive considering that Alphard and Cygnus both boasted over 6 feet in height.

Just as she was about to end her perusal, the man turned his head to glance behind him and within that brief window of time, she saw the rest of his face. He was even more gorgeous than she had initially thought. The exquisite structure of his face was nothing compared to his eyes. An intense, dazzling green surrounded by long, dark lashes. They were as much an emerald as hers were a sapphire.

And like a lightening, she was struck by who she was looking at.

_Riddle._

Her heart jumped up to her throat and she threw herself behind Alphard's broad silhouette. Her father looked down, no doubt confused by her sudden movement.

“We have to leave.” she said though gritted teeth and the desperate urgency in her tone didn't leave room for questions. He glanced back at his insistent conversationalist.

“My apologies, I have to...”

“Oh, stay but a moment more Lord Black.” the woman chirped, narrowing her eyes at the impertinent little girl, forcefully tugging away at her father's coat. “I'm sure your daughter can stand for a few more minutes. You need a firmer hand with such brazen-”

Alexa turned on her in a blink.

“If you want to be my stepmother, I suggest you show some respect.” she snarled angrily, then turned to Alphard without paying any more attention to the woman, leaving her gasping in indignation. “We have to go home. Now.”

Without further delay, Alphard wrapped his arms around her petite shoulders and turned on the spot.

She let go of him immediately when they appeared in the family room at the Chateau. Alexa put both hands on the wall, leaning on it as she dry-heaved. She felt nauseated. The sudden spike of adrenaline left her lightheaded and shaky. She banged her fist against the wall.

_Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_

He couldn't have seen her. He couldn't.

_Fuck!_

A large, heavy hand falling on her shoulders halted her movements. Alexa inhaled deeply and turned to see her father's face, full of apprehension and concern for her well-being. She closed her eyes and sighed miserably when he embraced her. Allowing for a moment to calm herself, she remained in his arms, letting the feeling of being protected steady her racing heart.

She didn't know how long he held her, caressing her hair, before she shimmied out of the comforting embrace. Alexa looked up at him, still a bit lost for words, but aware that he needed an explanation.

“You know I love you, right?” she asked, without thinking. Alphard's brows shot up and he gave his daughter an assessing look.

“That doesn't sound like a good start to the story, but yes, you did mention it before.” he said softly, lips slowly curling into a smile. Alexa rubbed her face with her palms, feeling entirely out of sorts.

She never expected to see him this soon. Wasn't he supposed to be travelling the world right now? What the fuck was he doing in Diagon Ally? Alexandrine grimaced.

She wasn't a fool. She knew that being part of the Black Family meant they would have to meet sooner or later. But she wasn't ready, damn it. She was nine years old! If it was up to her, she would've chosen later. Much later. Maybe when she was out of school.

_But when the fuck does anything go according to plan?_

Alexa tried to get a firmer grip on her tumultuous thoughts. None of this she could tell Alphard. She couldn't have neither him nor Arcturus knowing what ended up happening in her world. There was no telling what they would do. So what could she tell him?

“I... saw someone...” she finally told him. “Someone who... tried very hard to kill me for a long time.”

Alphard's expression became grave again.

“Did he hurt you?” he questioned sternly and she could already feel the anger bubbling beneath the surface of his skin. If she told him the truth, he would move heaven and earth to kill Tom Riddle... And she didn't want her father to get hurt.

“Not personally, but... he and his... friends... they hunted people like me.” Alexa said evasively, looking away from him. “I knew I'd have to see them some time, but I just... wasn't ready. I can't right now. It's still too fresh, I'm still too... weak.”

“You, my daughter, are anything but weak. You go toe to toe with Arcturus every week.” Alphard told her in a tone that didn't leave room for argument. “No daughter of mine will be calling herself weak. Especially when it is not true.”

A surge of affection for her father caused her to smile, though the smile itself came out shaky.

“It's not just about Magic, Father. It's... everything else. I can't interact with people who hunted me like an animal and pretend that everything is alright. I can't chat about the weather, go to class with those who killed all of my friends... those that I killed.”

Alphard nodded in understanding. His Slytherin cunning once again caught her off guard.

“Was it because you were a Muggleborn?” he asked, shocking her into opening her mouth. Alphard grimaced. “You did say they hunted you and your friends like animals. Many of the Purebloods would consider Muggleborns to be animals.”

Alexa considered her father for a moment. She never heard him utter the term “Mudblood” and never once did he make her feel any lesser about who she used to be. She thought that maybe it's because he considered her to be a Pureblood now, rendering her past life irrelevant. Now, she was starting to think that wasn't it.

“What do you think about Muggleborns, Father?”

Alphard didn't look surprised about the question. He must've know she'd ask sooner or later. The topic was bound to come up sometime.

“Well, I know one of them performed, what's rumoured to be, the most difficult spell in existence.” he said simply, smiling at his daughter with pride. “So at least one of them is exceptional.”

Alexa chuckled dryly. Well, that wasn't a discouraging answer at all.

“There are many exceptional Muggleborns, Father. I'm not the only one.”

“I did say AT LEAST one, didn't I?” he teased, lowering his head in acceptance. “I know you were worried about it. I'm frankly surprised the subject hasn't come up before.”

“You and me both.” she murmured. “And yes, that's the reason I had to fight.”

“It won't happen this time around.” Alphard said with unshakeable confidence. “You are my daughter, the Heiress to House Selwyn and Black, and there is nothing but greatness ahead of you... But I wouldn't tell Arcturus if I were you.”

That really made her laugh. Alphard kissed his daughter on the forehead, glad to finally see her relax a bit after the ordeal.

“Do you remember what we talked about last month?”

Alexa looked up and saw only kindness in his eyes.

“I do.”

“Think about it then. You have until next September to decide.” he suggested and waited for her to nod, before leaving her alone to think it through.

It took her much less time than a year. Later that day, when the evening yielded before the night, she knocked on the door to his office. When she walked in, Alphard looked up from behind his desk and smiled. He knew his daughter well.

The sombre look on her face could only mean one thing. She has made her decision. Alexa sucked in a breath.

“You were right. The new life that I wanted... I can't get it here.” she said, a bit hesitantly.

Alphard nodded encouragingly, a kind smile on his face.

"Just say the word, daughter."

This time her voice was full of conviction.

“I think I should study at Beauxbatons.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies ;)  
> I think for those of you who enjoy the Black family dynamics, this chapter might be one of your favourites. It is definitely one of mine. Super chill and easy to write.  
> I was terribly inspired for the past few days and somehow produced the longest chapter to date in just a few days. The next chapter probably won't be much shorter, since I'm determined to write at least one, short scene for every year we pass. I'm pretty sure we will finish our time skipping with the end of the next chapter, or at least that's the plan now.  
> I would also like to mention that two, very kind readers pointed out a minor mistake with the date last time. So if you notice anything like that, be sure to let me know about and I'll fix it right up :)  
>   
> More importantly! What do you think about the Beauxbatons plot twist? I have to say, it is quite a rush making my readers squirm a little bit haha *sinister laughter* Every time I read one of your comments about Alexa going to Hogwarts, I just had to chuckle. If you noticed I was being evasive about the topic, now you know why... oopsie.  
> If you are terribly disappointed, don't worry, I have more aces up my sleeve ;)  
> Also, let me know which members of the Black family do you enjoy reading about the most or the least. I'll take that into consideration moving forward.  
> Tell me about your thoughts, reactions, complaints, predictions or anything really. I'm looking forward to the discussion :)  
> Have a lovely week!  
> XOXO


	7. Chapter 7

August 29th 2000

She woke up feeling slightly cool, but pleasantly rested. A light wind breezed along her naked back. Either the sheets crumpled in her sleep or the hand that was now moving along her spine, uncovered her for its own pleasure.

“Good morning.” his voice, still hoarse from waking up, made her shiver just as well as the wind.

“You opened the window.” she murmured sleepily, not yet ready to open her eyes. Charlie chuckled lowly, then kissed her shoulder.

“I don't know about you, but the smell of stale sex isn't one of my favourites.”

Hermione hummed in agreement and turned on her side. The hand fell from her spine and started caressing her side. She looked up at him. A small smile played on his lips and she couldn't withhold a smile of her own.

“How about fresh sex?” she teased, scooting closer to his body in search for warmth. Charlie cleared his throat.

“I can be persuaded.”

“Well, I don't have much time to be persuasive, because I have to meet my boyfriend for a morning run.” she whispered, nuzzling in his neck. “If I don't show up he will get upset.”

“Stay in bed. I'll deal with your boyfriend. He's not too much of a badass, is he?” Charlie jested, his chest rumbling slightly as he spoke. Hermione smiled against his neck.

“Nah, I think you can take him.”

Charlie seemed torn between laughing his ass off and taking his revenge. His fingers danced across her side, making her giggle. Her tummy clenched and she erupted into wild laughter as he continued his tickling attack. She tried to squirm away.

“Stop! Stop!” she shrieked and quickly found herself trapped underneath his body, immobilised. He stopped the assault, just to kiss her on the nose. Her giggles began quieting. Charlie smiled.

“Your boyfriend will be lenient this time. Stay in bed?”

Hermione nodded once and hummed happily when his mouth landed on hers. She parted her lips, welcoming him into a soft, lazy kiss. Her hands automatically went around his neck to bring him closer, eager to feel his full weight on top of her. A moment later he exceeded her expectations, choosing to rub his erection on her sex instead.

She gasped at the wonderful feeling of friction and a delicious shiver ran through her body. Her legs automatically wrapped around his hips, pressing him closer. Charlie smiled into their kiss and broke it, only to lower himself to her chest and gently suck on her nipple. Hermione moaned, rolling her hips and arching her spine to get closer.

“I want you inside.” she whispered breathily, surprised how quickly wanton desire seeped into her voice. In response, he sucked on her nipple more forcefully, making her groan in need. “Charlie...”

For a moment only her shaky breaths could be heard in the room. Then Charlie released her nipple with a wet, popping sound and blew softly on the red, painfully tight bud. His bright, brown eyes glistened mischievously as he kissed his way to her other nipple. Hermione huffed with impatience as he latched onto it and reached between their bodies to grab his hard length. She could feel him smile around her nipple as she positioned the head of his cock between her slick folds and raised her hips just enough for the tip to slide in.

“Fuck!” Charlie groaned, pushing inside her with a jerky movement. Hermione moaned deeply as he filled her, stretching her inner walls deliciously.

“So good...”

Charlie gripped her hips before withdrawing, only to slam home again, this time fully sheathing his erection inside of her. Both of them moaned this time and before they knew it, their lips were pressed together in a frantic, passionate kiss.

The third stroke was much more controlled, allowing his cock to slowly rub against every sensitive nerve ending, every dip and curve inside her pussy. Hermione leaned away from the kiss, her face pinched from pleasure.

“Someone's coming!” she groaned, feeling as though she could cry from disappointment. Charlie breathed out shakily.

“Hopefully both of us.” he tried to tease her, but it came out in a needy pant, somewhat ruining the effect.

“I'm serious.” her scolding tone softened into a cry as he pushed inside her once more, this time deliciously deep. “Fuck! Don't stop!”

He seemed to be in agreement. Leaning over her fully to cover her body, he began fucking her in earnest, his movements still controlled, but much deeper. Just as she gasped in pleasure, the door to his room opened and someone's footsteps abruptly came to a halt.

“What the hell?”

They both groaned, this time in despair. Their movements somewhat lost their fervour as they heard Ron's voice from the doorway. She could see the strain on Charlie's face as he struggled to keep control.

“Ignore it, it will go away.” he breathed out with difficulty Just as she was about to respond, he slammed into her so hard, her head fell back with a cry of gratification.

“Since when have the two of you been fucking, huh?!” Ron exclaimed angrily, but they were beyond caring.

“Fuck off!” Charlie told him scathingly, as he began pumping into her more forcefully.

Her legs tightened around his hips like a vice, their bodies regaining their rhythm. She wasn't sure if it wasn't a figment of her imagination, but for a moment there, she thought there was a grin passing through her lovers face. When he changed his angle to rub against her clit with every thrust, there were no more rational thoughts. She didn't even register her ex walking out the door and slamming it shut, she was so focused on the overwhelming pleasure building in her core.

In the midst of moans, thrusts and the sounds of flesh meeting flesh, stars exploded under her eyes. She cried out, accompanied by the low grunt of her lover's completion. The orgasm struck her with all of the impact of a wave slamming against a rocky shore.

Hermione closed her eyes, revelling in the pure, blissful satisfaction. Charlie pulled out and rolled over on his side, trying to calm his breathing. They were both panting and sweaty, but unbothered. After a moment of peaceful silence, Hermione opened her eyes and turned to the side to look at him.

“You don't have to be so proud of yourself.” she scolded him with a laugh.

Charlie stretched out, smiling with satisfaction. Hermione found it hard not to stare at his chest when he did. He really was handsome. Years of wrangling dragons did wonders for his body.

“I can't think of a better way to put my idiot brother in his place.” he chuckled, making her frown.

“That's a bit cruel, Charlie. Don't you think?”

He gave her a serious look.

“Not everyone is as oblivious as you are. Do you think Ron didn't realise I was in love with his girl? Do you think he didn't take every opportunity to rub it in my face?” he asked bitterly, causing her expression to soften. Charlie sighed heavily. “It wasn't easy, you know. Every night I waited for you, knowing that you were with him... it killed me.”

Hermione felt her stomach twist. She didn't realise this before. This whole time he was in love with her and she would sleep with his brother, then meet him outside afterwards to talk. He knew what she'd just done, what she would do again the next night and yet he was always there to support her. He would give her advice and allow her to cry on his shoulder. Hermione felt like shit.

“I can hear you blaming yourself.” Charlie said teasingly, then gathered her in his arms. “It's okay, Hermione. You didn't know. I'm fine now.”

“I'm sorry.” she whispered, pressing her lips to the hollow of his neck. “Was Ron really an asshole about it?”

“Yeah. He can be a spiteful little shit sometimes.” Charlie chuckled, though he clearly didn't find it all that funny. “It's a family thing.”

“Then fuck him. He can watch anytime.” she murmured, making him laugh again, but this time genuinely.

“Well, I didn't hear you protesting today. In fact, I remember someone asking me not to stop.”

Hermione giggled into his neck. She was hoping it would be literally anyone else. When she realised it's her ex, she was about to ask him to stop, because hearing Ron's voice immediately put her out, but that's when Charlie renewed his efforts and somehow she forgot to tell him. Oops.

Charlie ran his hand along her back again and she melted further into his arms. It was so nice. His body was so warm and muscular. Even sweaty, he felt amazing. Reality finally brought her out of the euphoria-induced coma and she put her hand on her stomach, whispering the Contraceptive Charm. The feeling of coolness swirling inside her stomach lasted for only a few seconds before it disappeared completely.

“We should get out there.” Charlie sighed, but didn't move. Hermione groaned.

“I don't want to. Your stupid brother probably told everyone already.”

Charlie snorted.

“You mean your stupid ex did.”

Hermione smiled, but leaned back to look at him with a bit more seriousness.

“Let's not be assholes about it, okay? It's probably difficult enough for him.”

“Deal.” Charlie agreed easily, sealing the promise with a sweet kiss.

* * *

August 29th 1968

The anticipation was so great it had her fidgeting and bouncing on her toes. Finally! A few more minutes and she would have a wand in her hand. Her fingers were literally tingling with Magic. Alphard spared his daughter an indulgent smile and opened the door, letting her in first like the gentleman he was.

Dark, cherry wood seemed to be the theme. From the floors, through the shop counter, to the two, rounded shelves by the wall. The long, rectangular counter divided the space into to parts. Behind it stood a tall gentleman man with a thick beard and long brown hair with very visible grey streaks.

He looked reserved and dignified. There were deep wrinkles on his forehead, the kind that signified frequent frowning rather than old age. Alexa spotted an open book next to his hand and knew they interrupted his reading, but he didn't seem disturbed.

There was a long corridor with plenty of shelves directly behind his back and two, rounded shelves on both sides of his body. The boxes with wands were placed evenly and every single one had inscriptions on its side, presumably with specifications of the wand.

As they approached the counter, Alexa was very impressed by how clean and well-organised the store looked. Much more elegant than Ollivander's.

“Good Morning and welcome to my store.”

“Good Morning, Mr. Gregorovich.” Alphard responded politely, then placed his hand on Alexa's shoulder. “My daughter Alexandrine is in need of your services today.”

The man's bright, green eyes were appraising her since the moment they walked in. She matched his gaze stoically and curtsied just like Walburga taught her.

“Mr. Gregorovich.”

“Stand on the platform, young Lady.” he indicated her right side and came around the counter to take her measurements.

She did as she was told and stood patiently on the platform while he worked. The tape floated around her and adjusted itself as needed. Gregorovich flicked his wand and a piece of parchment joined him at her side, followed by a brown feather quill.

When that was over, she followed the wandmaker to the counter again. He placed the parchment with her measurements close by and reached down, bringing up a wide case with about thirty wands laid out on it. He put the case in front of her and opened it for Alexa to see.

“Each wand is made from a different wood, but the core is identical. A Kneazle's whisker is a fairly weak core, making it easy to distinguish between the woods themselves.” Gregorovich explained, watching her to see if she understood. “We will see if any of the woods call to you more than others. You can touch them, use them, do whatever feels right. If you feel anything substantial, tell me.”

Alexa glanced at Alphard, who nodded encouragingly. He was watching with rapt attention, they were both fascinated by the process. They both had only Ollivander's wands before.

She extended her right hand and placed it above the first wand. Closing her eyes, she focused on reaching out with her Magic. There was a response, but barely there. Like the fluttering of a moth's wings brushing against her skin.

The next one felt more tangible, leaving a trace of pleasant warmth on the inside of her palm. The fourth wand was completely dead and unresponsive and distantly she wondered what kind of wood that was. The response was so lacklustre that the next one felt like a slap to the face.

“This one.” she hissed, opening her eyes. There was nothing on it, but she felt like a tiny whip smacked her right in the centre of her hand. Gregorovich was staring at her.

“Leave it for now, go on.”

She cocked her brow, but didn't question him. Feeling stupid, she shook her hand to get rid of the unpleasant feeling and went on down the line. Most of them didn't give her any noticeable feelings, though a few more acted up.

The second wood she tried made her feel hand feel unpleasantly cold, like she stuffed her hand in a freezer. The next one, annoyingly enough, felt hot enough to burn. The fourth wood made her hand sort of... itchy. Like a group of ants was crawling over it. It wasn't unpleasant, just... like an itch she needed to scratch.

The last one in the whole line-up made her feel very... odd. Hot and cold at the same time. Like she went outside without her gloves and then came back to put her hands over a fireplace. Her hand was completely numb and yet tingling, like it was warming up way too quickly.

In the end she pointed out five types of wood. Gregorovich was giving her a very odd look.

“Every single one of those is a wood fit for a fighter.”

She shrugged, trying to look innocent. Her father just smiled at the wandmaker.

“That would be accurate.”

Gregorovich nodded, then pointed out the first wood.

“This one is yew. A coveted type of wood, renowned for its prowess in duels and curses. Wands of yew only ever choose very powerful, very singular Witches or Wizards.”

 _Of course they do. A yew wand chose Riddle. No wonder it felt so..._ _striking._ Alexa said nothing and Gregorovich pointed out the wand that made her hand feel unpleasantly cold.

“Blackthorn is a wood popular among Aurors as well as denizens of Azkaban. It needs to be battle-tested, but when it is, it makes for a very loyal wand.” he moved on to the one that felt made her hand feel like it was burning. “Ebony is equally suited for combat. It makes a very useful wand for Transfiguration.” For a moment he pondered on it in silence. “Were they... pleasant?

Ah, so he noticed her slight grimace. _Observant man._

“No, not at all.” Alexa told him, knowing that it must mean something significant. “The last two were much better, though they felt quite odd.”

“Then we will put those three away for now.” Gregorovich concluded calmly, then considered the other ones. “Walnut is a wood of great intelligence. Once again, very difficult to dominate, but once it is controlled, a walnut wand can make for a lethal weapon. How did it feel for you?”

“It... tickled. Like ants were crawling over my hand and I desperately wanted to scratch it.”

“And the last one?” Gregorovich asked thoughtfully, before telling her anything about it.

“That one was the weirdest.” she confessed, her voice hesitant. “Cold at first and then suddenly very warm and tingly.”

For the first time Gregorovich smiled.

“That would be the Hawthorne. The wood makes for a very strange, contradictory wand, as full of paradoxes as the tree that gave it birth, whose leaves and blossoms heal, and yet whose cut branches smell of death. Hawthorne is suited to both Healing Magic and Dark Magic and it performs both exceptionally well.”

Alexa tilted her head, her curiosity sufficiently peaked. Gregorovich gave her a knowing look.

“I think since most of your choices were best suited for fighting and duelling, Hawthorn would do better than Walnut. However, we will make sure to pick a core with some characteristics of Walnut. It might be complimentary.” he paused for a moment, then began anew. “I have to warn you that Hawthorn is not easy to master. It doesn't submit easily, only for exceptionally powerful Witches and Wizards. Hawthorne is temperamental in the wrong hands and if you are unable to master it, the wand might backfire on you.”

“I've never heard of such a thing.” Alphard said in surprise. “A wand backfiring on the owner?”

Gregorovich shrugged and started closing the display.

“Hawthorne only accepts one Master.”

Alphard gave his daughter a teasing look.

“Better one than none.”

She pursed her lips, feigning offence, but her father wasn't fooled.

They watched patiently while Gregorovich put back his display, clearing the table. He then picked up his wand and started waving it in quick succession. An array of boxes started flying from the shelves in the back room and falling on the counter in a neat row. He flicked his hand once more and all of the boxes opened.

Alexa didn't move, surprised by the amount of boxes. Gregorovich must've known what's going through her head, because he explained:

“I know Ollivander uses three cores. I have some more... unique ones. They don't sell as well, but once in a while...” he trailed off, giving her a thoughtful look, but he didn't pick up on the topic again. Instead he said: “None of the three cores used by Ollivander possess the characteristics of Walnut. Those eight I have lined up, do. This time test them properly, a good wave should do.”

New wand cores? A wide smile blossomed on her face. _Okay, that's super cool._

What followed was a series of minor explosions, the store window being the first victim. Gregorovich looked unbothered the whole time, even when she set his book on fire. He simply accepted her apology and put out the fire with a flick of his own wand. His casual attitude didn't falter even as three rows of wand-boxes tumbled to the floor.

Finally, on the sixth wand she felt it. An overwhelming surge of power from the wand, spreading through her body like a tidal wave. Her toes curled and a shiver wend down her spine. There was a pleasant warmth in her chest. The feeling was comparable to producing a corporeal Patronus. A surge of Magic so sudden and powerful that it left a bit of emptiness upon its departure.

She expelled a big, relieved sigh. It was over. She had a wand. Her eyes fell on the piece of wood in her hand. The wood was dark, though it lightened a bit towards the tip. The wand had few carvings; only four parallel indentations on the handle and a ring where the handle connected to the shaft. It was simple, elegant and... dangerous. Just how she wanted it. Alexa looked to Gregorovich for an explanation. His eyes were brighter than ever before.

“Excellent. 12 inches long, inflexible, infused with the hair taken from a Sphinx's tail.”

Her eyes widened. Was he serious?

“May I ask how you managed to convince a Sphinx to give up that hair?” she asked, a bit disbelievingly. Gregorovich chuckled.

“The only way there is, young Lady. I didn't get just the one hair either. I got every hair from that one tail and have a few special wands to show for it.”

Alexa stared down at the weapon in her hand. Gregorovich could've easily died for that wand. If a Sphinx's riddle is answered incorrectly, it attacks to kill and doesn't show mercy. Alphard approached her to look at the wand. She laid it flat on her palms, making it easier to see.

“Beautiful craftsmanship.” he complimented the wandmaker, who accepted the praise with a barely-noticeable lowering of his head.

“I must say I never expected to sell this one, even as I made it.” Gregorovich told them with a small sigh. “It is a very dangerous combination. Sphinx's are brilliant creatures, of that there is no doubt, but they are also extremely aggressive when crossed. A Sphinx submits to no one and to put Hawthorne wood on top of that, with its conflicted nature and volatile temper...” The wandmaker levelled his client with a hard stare. “If you manage to master that wand, young lady... you will have a lethal weapon in your hands. Use it wisely.”

Alexa nodded, then lowered her eyes to the wand in her hands. It was perfect. She always loved her first wand. It was Vine with a dragon heartstring core. She found it interesting that Vine didn't even make it on the least. Was she that different of a person?

“Princess?” she heard and looked up to see her father's expectant look. “I settled the bill. We have to get your textbooks now. The Portkey is leaving in half an hour.”

“Yes, Father.” Alexa said, realising she must've been lost in her thoughts for a moment. She turned to the wandmaker and curtsied again. “Thank you for the wand, Mr Gregorovich.”

“You're very welcome, young Lady. Be careful with it.”

She gave him, what she hoped to be, a reassuring smile and left the store with her father. The wand was now safely in the pocket of her cloak.

“What do you think about it, Father? You haven't said much.”

Alphard smiled easily. He had no doubt his daughter would master it.

“It's a wand fit for a Black.”

_So it is._

* * *

August 30th 1968

The Chateau was completely frantic. Everything was supposedly packed and yet every five minutes someone would find another thing that absolutely needed to travel with them to the Villa. The House Elves were acting as if they were moving to some desert island with no means of communication, instead of a luxurious mansion in France, conveniently just a floo away. Wispy was flying around the place like a little helicopter.

“Little Lady Selwyn be needing more of her books” the matronly Elf complained loudly, rummaging through the pile.

“Black.” Rusty corrected her stonily, prompting the fierce creature to glare at him.

“Selwyn.”

Alexa hid a smile behind her book. It was their oldest argument and it's only fitting they would have it at least one more time before the move. Rusty was staying to take care of the Chateau, but Wispy was going with them to her homeland. She was very excited about it too. So excited in fact, that she wanted to pack half the library. Rusty was in the library exactly for that reason, to prevent Wispy from clearing the bookshelves on behalf of her "Little Lady".

“Wispy, I'll be leaving for the Academy in two days. There's a library there.” she reminded her, knowing full well it's going to fall on deaf ears. Just as predicted, Wispy ignored her.

“This needs to go. Little Lady reads about Potions all the time.” she mumbled to herself, snapping a finger. Two rows of books sailed towards the growing pile... and then sailed right back. Wispy turned to Rusty with a fierce glare. “Rusty be putting it back!”

_Aaaand that's my clue to skedaddle._

Alexa put down her book. She had no intention of getting in the way of an angry House Elf. Especially if that Elf was Wispy. No, no. There was no need to be in the immediate vicinity... or the same building, for that matter.

On her way to the garden she was intercepted by Daisy. Her sky-blue eye glistened joyfully, immediately making it obvious that something was happening. Even her long, floppy ears were unusually stiff.

“Miss be coming with Daisy to greet a guest.” she announced, then grabbed her by the hand and poofed away.

They appeared in the hallway. Alexa looked around, slightly dazed, then turned to her Elf, raising a brow.

“What's the rush?”

“Miss will be very happy.” Daisy told her cryptically, grinning. Alexa couldn't help but smile.

“Okay, you've peaked my curiosity. Lead the way.”

Daisy opened the door and ushered her into the family room. Inside stood her irate-looking father and her Godmother, who appeared uncharacteristically pleased with herself. She went to greet her, looking to Alphard for help, but he just shook his head.

“There you are girl! Come here!” Cassiopeia motioned for her to come closer and kissed both of her cheeks in greeting. “I'm happy I made it in time.”

“We said goodbye a few days ago. What's this about, Aunt Cassie?” Alexa smiled upon seeing how excited the woman was.

“I'd like to know that as well.” Alphard said, crossing his arms. He looked slightly miffed and she didn't know why.

Cassiopeia glanced at her nephew and smiled again. She led her her Goddaughter by the shoulder, escorting her behind the couch where a small, wooden create stood on the floor.

“A gift, my dear. It will come in handy when you're in school.”

Alexa stared at the crate, her brows furrow in confusion. It had stickers on it. One of them read: _Live Beast! Handle with caution!_ Alexa straightened up, her eyes widening.

Only now did she notice that there were holes in the crate. She knew then why her father looked annoyed. Whatever was inside, it had to be a live animal. One he wasn't informed beforehand, nonetheless. She shared a brief look with her father and Alphard approached to stand at her side, pulling out his wand at the same time. He knew full well that his Aunt could've brought them anything from a pair of rats to a dragon egg. She was capable of anything.

The crate suddenly snapped open, making both Alphard and Alexa flinch involuntarily. Her Godmother chuckled, putting her wand away and ignored her nephew's glare. Alexa kept her eyes firmly on the crate and soon, a little creature exited. It was...

A kitten. Alexa giggled, she couldn't help herself. An adorable, fluffy ball with a heart-shaped face and tiny, pink nose made a few hesitant steps outside of the crate. Alphard sighed with relief, putting away his wand.

“Aunt Cassie, it's beautiful!” she cooed, watching the little fur ball look around, taking in its surroundings.

The kitten was white as snow, with a long, majestic coat and gorgeous, cornflower blue eyes. It was quite big for a kitten, though it still looked pretty young. The ears were large and slightly pointed and the tail... _holy fuck_... the tail was lightly plumed, like a lion's. She gasped, looking back at her Godmother for conformation. She's never seen Cassiopeia look this smug.

“Oh Merlin!” she breathed out in disbelief. “Is it really...?”

“What?” Alphard asked, then scanned the kitten with renewed suspicion. He mustn't have noticed either. They were easy to confuse at this age. She could see the exact moment when he realised the tiny feline in his home wasn't a cat at all. His eyes widened, then quickly narrowed. “God damn it.”

“Language!” Cassiopeia jabbed him in the ribs with her wand. Alphard grunted gutturally. “I won't have you teaching my Goddaughter such foul habits, young man!”

Normally, Alexa would've laughed at her father's scathing expression, but this time she was busy staring at the little feline. It was looking at the three people, tilting its tiny head as if following their conversation. She grinned and lowered herself to the floor, sitting down cross-legged. Slowly, she extended her hand, letting it hang in the air a few inches from the animal. The feline looked at her hand curiously, the blinked.

“How could you buy her a Kneazle, Aunt Cassiopeia? They're illegal!” her father seethed, watching his daughter's interaction with the animal out of the corner of his eye. A small one shouldn't be able to hurt her, but Kneazles could be very aggressive.

“You're a Black, are you not?” Cassiopeia waved him off dismissively, then pulled out a small envelope out of her pocket. Triumph glistened in her dark eyes. “Regardless, it's not illegal if one has a permit.”

At this point, her father sighed and Alexa stopped paying attention, assuming that her fairy Godmother had everything in hand. The baby Kneazle approached in tiny, graceful movements, its paws completely silent against the soft carpet. It sniffed her hand, lowering its adorable, pink nose toward it. The Kneazle pulled away, straightened up and blinked. For a moment it just stared at her in some sort of contemplative appraisal and Alexa held her breath, because that was it. The pivotal moment.

Kneazles had very few responses to people. That included outright hate and eagerness to attack, complete indifference, polite tolerance and absolute loyalty. She was hoping for the last one, but anything other than the first one would do in a pinch. The little creature was adorable either way and she hadn't a single doubt in her mind, that she would be keeping it. Short of trying to kill her, the fluffy snowball could do nothing to dissuade her.

“It's a male. You can name him whatever you'd like.” Aunt Cassiopeia told her, while making herself comfortable on the couch. “What are you waiting for, Nephew? Offer me some tea. Have you no manners?”

Alphard must've huffed or rolled his eyes, because she could hear Aunt Cassiopeia dressing him down in the background. She paid no attention, because the little feline opened his mouth and yawned, making Alexa giggle with delight. He was just the cutest! He must've been sleeping in the crate and was probably still tired.

After yawning, the Kneazle moved closer and completely bypassing her outstretched hand, he climbed on her lap and curled into a ball. Alexa sighed, her heart absolutely melting away from the cuteness. She looked up to see Aunt Cassiopeia's dark, knowing eyes set firmly on her Goddaughter and the little fur ball on her lap.

“You have a natural affinity with them. Treat him well and he will bond with you soon.”

For some reason Alexa blushed. She looked down and hesitantly stroked the soft fur on the Kneazle's back. He was already asleep and didn't wake up.

* * *

September 1st 1968

She was anxious, but excited to endeavour on this new adventure. Beauxbatons wasn't like Hogwarts at all. The two schools shared their core classes of course, but other than that, she couldn't find many similarities.

First of all, Beauxbatons' students could start their education as early as eight years old and attend an introductory program before starting their education in earnest. Alexa herself would be ten in only four months, which gave her two years of attending their two-year program for “gifted” children and allow her plenty of time to fully integrate into the school and the country before starting her actual education at twelve years of age.

The curriculum was supposed to include lessons of the French language and literature, which she was pretty excited for. She promised herself years ago to learn for the sake of her mother and the lessons with Wispy were becoming quite confusing due to the Elf's inborn distaste for proper grammar.

Did she really need those two, additional years? Probably not, but she did want them. She wanted a break from Britain, from running into future Dark Lords and Death Eaters in Diagon Alley. It was pretty hard to avoid them, try as she might.

The Sacred Twenty-Eight thought of themselves as a very exclusive club and typically only allowed their children to make friends among their circle. All of her cousins frequently made visits to other kids from “the great families”, since their infancy. It was made very clear to the other Purebloods early on, that Alphard's daughter wouldn't be participating in the gatherings, playdates and birthday parties any time soon.

They were a nosy bunch. Alphard shielded her from their view for a long time and she would be eternally grateful for it. She had to meet them eventually, Alexa knew it well enough, yet she couldn't say she was eager to do so.

Avoiding them made her feel safer and more sane, but it was getting increasingly difficult. If she went to Hogwarts, she would be expected to make friends with them. Worse, she knew from Arcturus, that inquiries were made to both her father and her Paterfamilias about potential betrothals.

She was shocked to find that out, since her father never mentioned a word about it. When she asked, Alphard just told her that he politely responded to every letter, telling them there would be no betrothals made until his daughter was at least sixteen years old. In Pureblood circles, it was unusual enough that a few people actually had the gall to try and bypass her father by reaching out to the Head of the Family.

They couldn't have made a worse decision if they tried. Any time Arcturus received such an inquiry, he would tear it up and let the family know, in no uncertain terms, that undermining Alphard's authority as her father was the height of disrespect and if it happened again, the consequences would be swift. After all, if her father already said no and Arcturus would override his authority on the matter, it would make their whole family look weak and divided. Such disagreements would be handled internally, not for the world to see.

It was one of those occasions that truly made Alexa understand what the role of a Paterfamilias really was. Arcturus protected the family's honour and made sure they presented a strong, united front for the public. It was working too.

Word must've spread after the first few threats were made, because as far as she knew, neither her father nor her Paterfamilias received any more letters in the past two years. No one wanted to risk finding out exactly what kind of consequences Arcturus was thinking of. She was pretty sure he already had those families blacklisted from arranging betrothals with ANY of the Blacks in her generation. If there was one thing Arcturus couldn't stand, it was stupidity.

Although Orion was making a few inquiries here and there, no official arrangements were made for Sirius or Regulus and probably wouldn't be made for quite a long time. Since Sirius was the Heir of the family, his bride would have to be the best of the best available. Walburga would accept nothing short of perfection and so it made sense to wait for the potential chosen one's to grow up. It was traditional for children to be wed by order of age. So if Sirius waited, so would Regulus.

Bellatrix was promised to Rodolphus Lestrange when she first showed signs of magic, at two years of age. The contract for Dromeda was signed a few years ago. She was to marry the youngest of the Notts. Narcissa had no official contract yet, but it was a well-known fact in their family that Cygnus was negotiating with a prominent family at this very moment. Only Alexa knew it would end up being Lucius Malfoy.

Alexandrine noticed that Purebloods always rushed to give away their daughters, but the sons not so much. Maybe it was easier to find wives than husbands, she didn't know, but that only made her father's decision that much more unusual.

She would die happy if she didn't have to meet any of them in her entire life. If that made her an outsider, so be it. She had plenty enough company with her five cousins. For now, she was supposedly considered somewhat of a curiosity, at least that's what Bella reported to her from time to time. She told Alexa, in all of her brutally honest glory, that the other Pureblood kids sometimes speculated if she had Spattergroit and that's why she never met any of them.

If catching Spattergroit was a viable solution for resolving this conundrum, she would consider it. Right now, she was more or less resigned to her faith. All she wanted were a few more years to breath in peace and train to her heart's content. When the time came, she couldn't allow herself to be weak, not again.

That's why she would spend every waking moment training. The Beauxbatons library was as big as the Hogwarts one. If not bigger, since it contained tomes in multiple languages. While attending school, she could also practise spellcasting with her wand and she needed to master it as soon as possible. Wandless Magic did well enough in a pinch, but a powerful wand could greatly aid the power of one's spells. Now that she could, there was no reason for her not to use a wand. Not to mention, it would be entirely too attention-drawing to try attending school without one.

The price for that was completing Beauxbatons' weird curriculum. She barely picked up her jaw from the floor when she found out Drama and Etiquette classes were a mandatory part of the schedule every year. Honestly, she's had enough of that with Aunt Burga.

Overall she wasn't going to complain too much though. Beauxbatons offered a longer, but more well-rounded education. With everything from Magical Theory and Alchemy to Culinary and Performance Arts as electives. As well as classes which Hogwarts, in her opinion, severely needed. Like Language, Literature and Philosophy, all of which she would happily take.

When the day finally came, she was as ready as could be. Alphard walked her right to the gate where, for the first time in almost ten years, they went their separate ways. Both of them were, to put it mildly, teary eyed and emotional when they said goodbye. She was only able to go inside without balling her eyes out, because she had Daisy walking beside her and her new Kneazle- Snowball, cuddled up in her arms.

She was as shocked as anybody that she could take her personal House Elf to school. Apparently the name Selwyn carried more than a little bit of weight in France. Though some part of her recognized it as entirely unfair, the other and coincidentally larger part, didn't give a single shit.

Highborn, Pureblood children had it easier in this word. That was the order of things. If she had to take on all of the accompanying problems and responsibilities, then she would bloody-well take the privileges too. She felt like she deserved it for all of those slights that came upon her for the crime of being born to Muggle parents.

As she was walking down the perfectly manicured, stone pathway, she fell in love with the Palace at first glance. The large lake surrounding the main building looked simply stunning. In the distance, a herd of white swans could be seem swimming across the clear, azure blue surface. The vast gardens were even more magnificent than Fleur described them, with plenty of flowers and elegant, swirling hedges. Especially the huge fountain in the middle of the park, filled with bright blue, sparkling water.

The building itself was more than impressive. Six or seven stories and plenty of high towers, separating the structure into distinctive parts. Despite being massive, the building didn't look anywhere near as heavy and statuesque as Hogwarts did. The light-coloured brick and whimsically-fenced balconies gave Beauxbatons a bit more lightness without losing any of its gravitas.

The Southern, French weather created an interesting atmosphere, so unlike the cool, humid and much less forgiving Scottish weather. In the beginning of September, it was still quite warm and airy. Her new, silky blue uniform was indeed a perfect fit for this climate. As the entrance door opened she took off her outer cloak and handed it to Daisy.

Inside she was welcomed by a dazzling combination of white and gold in the form of a grand, spiral staircase. A magnificent, crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. Gorgeous paintings with gold frames adorned the walls. In short, the entrance hall was a display of carefully crafted opulence, playing a dangerous game of balancing the scales between tasteful and excessive.

As Alexa she was used to this kind of décor. As Hermione, she was staring at it with wide eyes and a slack jaw until Daisy pulled her forward.

An elegant gentleman, wearing formal wizarding robes, welcomed them inside and gave them directions to a different room. Daisy and all of her personal belongings were quickly sent away with a different House Elf, leaving Alexa and Snowball to fend for themselves.

Snowball woke up from his comfy nap just as Alexa came into, what she assumed would be, her new common room. Young students stood around every corner of the room, allowing her only a partial view of the space, but what she saw was to enough to deem the room beautiful, if a bit childish. Not that she blamed anyone for that. In their defence, her roommates really were ten years old.

She could hear conversations in English, French, German, Spanish and even Portuguese. Alexa didn't really plan on making friends here. France was supposed to be a solitary chapter in her life, allowing her to focus on training and gaining the necessary skills to survive in this world. With her large, troublesome family she already had plenty of people to worry about without making friends in a foreign country. With that in mind she took Snowball to the nearest sitting space and made herself comfortable. Her solitude didn't even last a full minute.

A pretty, dark-skinned girl with huge, almond eyes popped into her line of vision.

“Il est tellement beau! Quel est son prénom? Puis-je le caresser?” she chirped in rapid-fire French, a huge smile on her face.

(He's so beautiful! What's his name? Can I pet him?)

It took a moment for Alexa to gather her thoughts. The girl was speaking really quickly and she was pretty forward too. She liked that. These days every time she met someone, the introductions and pleasantries alone could take upwards of ten minutes. This was much simpler.

“Je te remercie. Son nom est Snowball, mais tu ne devrais pas le toucher, il n'aime pas beaucoup les gens.”

(Thank you. His name is Snowball, but you shouldn't touch him. He doesn't like people very much.)

The girl looked disappointed by the news, but Alexa was too busy trying to save her hand, to save her feelings. Snowball had pretty sharp claws and he wasn't afraid to use them. So far, he took well to the family, but the clerk at the pet shop in Place Cachée got some nasty marks on his hand after getting a bit too handsy for Snowball's liking. Her familiar had a temper.

“Tu pourras essayer plus tard, une fois qu'il te connaîtra mieux.” she promised the girl, watching as she immediately perked up. Alexa stopped petting Snowball long enough to offer her hand. “Je m'appelle Alexandrine Black.”

(You can try later, once he gets to know you better./My name is Alexandrine Black.)

“Et je suis Celeste Renault. Ravie de te rencontrer Alexandrine.”

(And I'm Celeste Renault. Nice to meet you Alexandrine.)

Alexa smiled and looked towards the door, sensing the approach of someone new. Seconds later a young woman walked in. She was dressed as formally as the man in the entrance hall. Funnily enough, she had the exact same haircut Madame Maxime had in 1995. However they were difficult to confuse, because her hair was a dark blonde and she wasn't a half-giant.

She wondered if she would see the woman in this time. It would certainly be interesting. Glancing at Celeste, she saw the girl fidgeting excitedly, twirling a dark pigtail around her finger.

“Bienvenu! Welcome to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Je m'appelle Giselle Badeaux. Pendant les deux prochaines années, je serai votre Gardienne. For the next two years, I will be your Custodian.” she announced, seamlessly switching from perfect English to a beautiful, French trill.

Giselle went on to talk about how they won't be sorted into Houses and how they are all a big family. She read through this weeks schedule, placed it on the information board and directed them to their dormitories. It seemed pretty standard so far.

There were about forty students; half of them male, the other half female. Most of them rushed forward to pick their beds, but Alexa lingered, knowing that Snowball didn't like a tights squeeze. Celeste followed behind her, which put something between a smile and a smirk on Alexa's face. She could tell the girl picked her for a friend for some odd reason and resistance would be futile.

It took about half an hour for things to calm and for people to stop talking. There were two other Pureblood girls in her dormitory and they too had personal House Elves, who did all of the unpacking for them. It made her feel a bit less weird about it. Apparently, it was more normal than she had previously thought.

Daisy was half-way done with her clothes by the time Alexa was finished setting up Snowball's precious possessions. The sleepyhead of a feline was already curled into a fluffy ball on her pillow.

“Miss is excited.” Daisy hummed as Alexa stacked her books on the shelf.

The girl smiled. No one else would be able to tell. Over they years of practicing Occlumency every night, she developed a very neutral, indifferent expression. Her “Pureblood face” as Alphard liked to jokingly call it. He explained that most Pureblood children were trained in Occlumency from a young age. It explained a lot, it really did. But Daisy knew her too well for all that.

“It's like a new life.” she told her Elf quietly, very aware of her other roommates' presence. “I'm a bit tired of Britain. This feels like a vacation.”

“I think Miss will be happy here... for a time.” Daisy said, smiling smugly.

Alexa huffed, but not without amusement. Cheeky little thing. Her Elf knew just as well as she did, that she wouldn't be able to stay away from trouble forever. Maybe until her NEWT's... or OWL's at least?

_Please God, let me at least pass my OWL's this time before everything goes to hell in a handbasket._

A light tapping on her shoulder pulled Alexa out of fantasy land. She turned to see Celeste shoving a box of chocolates in her face.

“Sers toi.” the girl chattered with a smile.

(Help yourself.)

“Merci.” Alexa smiled politely, taking a heart-shaped chocolate out of the box. She popped it into her mouth and hummed delightedly.

Maybe a new friend wasn't such a bad idea after all.

* * *

October 19th 1968

It was nice to come back to the Villa, if only for a few days. A month and a half didn't sound like long, but it was. Though she enjoyed the new facets of her education, especially learning about Magical Theory, the abrupt separation from her father was still playing on her nerves. She didn't realize how strongly she depended on his presence and continuous support, until she left.

For the past ten years, Alphard was her constant. Unwavering in every way. After so many years of war it was deceptively easy to immerse herself in this new world. Colour her shocked, but the Blacks were her family now. They were her aunts and uncles, her cousins and her godparents, and most importantly, Alphard was her father.

It's been a decade since she appeared in their lives and she was now as much a part of the Black family as any of them. They loved her in their own ways, cared for her, spoiled her. She never expected to be accepted in this way. All of her oddities and quirks, her rebellious attitude. It was so unlike anything Sirius described, she could only theorize that her presence had already made irrevocable, unprecedented changes to this world and even more significantly, this family.

So in a funny way, she could relate to her new roommates at Beauxbatons. The actual ten-year-olds, who missed their parents and jumped up like bunnies on speed the day before, eager to go on the short holiday. She missed her family too. Today however, she was especially eager to see Arcturus. Though for a slightly different reason.

When the Black Paterfamilias stepped through the fireplace, the greetings were very brief. He could tell she was anxious, so he didn't keep her in suspense for long.

“Here it is.” he took out a small package from his robe and enlarged it, before handing over the box to Alexa.

The box looked familiar and when she opened it, she sucked in her breath... there it was.

_Holly, 11 inches... and a phoenix feather core._

Her fingers instinctively travelled over the length of the wood. It's been years since she's seen that wand. So many memories...

“And the other one?”

“Hasn't been made yet.”

Alexa laughed quietly.

“Maybe it's for the better.”

She wasn't really sure if she wanted to see her old wand anyway. It probably wouldn't accept her as she was now. That one belonged to Hermione, a person she didn't have much in common with anymore. At least not the eleven-year-old Hermione, the one bouncing on her feet during her first visit in Diagon Alley; bushy hair, buck-teeth and all. She asked for it on a whim and now she was glad the wandmaker hasn't crafted it just yet. Which brought her to another important question.

“How's Ollivander?” she asked, staring him in the eye unblinkingly. A slight quirk of Arcturus' lips was the only sign of his amusement.

“Are you asking if I killed him?”

“Yes.”

“Then be blunt about it.” he commanded sternly. She huffed with impatience.

“Well? Did you kill him?”

“No.” Arcturus responded, a hint of mockery tinting his voice. “But he won't remember our meeting.”

“Good.” she nodded curtly.

That was for the best. They couldn't leave Ollivander wondering how the Black Patriarch knew the exact specifications of one of his creations and what happened to it.

“What shall I do with it?”

“Stash it away at Gringotts. I'm hoping I won't ever have to use it.” she said truthfully, knowing that it didn't give Arcturus more information than he should have.

The older man simply nodded. Gone were the times when he would pester her about the future. Their relationship evolved beyond that. The trust was... fleeting, to say the least, but the respect was there. No matter how reluctant.

“Is your father around?”

She shook her head in denial.

“He'll be working for a few more hours.”

“Good. Is there a training room available?”

He was barely finished speaking when she turned to lead the way.

“In the basement.”

Arcturus followed closely behind. A training room was usually a completely empty, well insulated space with a plethora of wards in the walls. There was one in the Villa, Chateau and Arcturus had one of his own as well. Many Magical houses contained one, especially the old ones. When they made it down to the basement, Arcturus looked around critically, but soon the room received a curt nod, which in his language meant the highest seal of approval.

It was completely silent with nearly indestructible walls. There were wards placed inside to conceal Magic, allowing them to comfortably practise without worrying about the Trace, an inconvenience she was reminded of as soon as she got her new wand. A wand she now readied, when Arcturus brandished his own.

“I hope you've been practising what I taught you last time.”

“I have... and I have a wand this time. You should crank up that shield of yours.”

Arcturus smirked. He knew very well what she was doing and it wouldn't work. Alexa didn't even bother pulling a face. She knew it too.

“Yes, you have it... but have you mastered it?”

He let the question hang in the air for a split second, before hurling a silent Cruciatus her way. She ducked, then straightened up and bared her teeth. Nasty old man.

“I will. All I need is more opportunities to practise.”

Arcturus merely quirked a brow. This time it was a Disintegration Curse, which she promptly blocked.

“Your father is going easy on you.”

It wasn't a question, so she didn't deign to answer. It was a simple truth and they both knew it. Training with Alphard helped keep her in shape, improve her reaction times and reflexes. But her father would never cast something that could truly hurt her. He simply didn't have it in him to throw Dark Curses at his only daughter. She loved him for it.

But it also made training with Arcturus all the more imperative. Practising with the Black Patriarch was challenging, because he used spells she had no idea existed. Because he had no qualms about attacking with something that could rip her to shreds. He pushed Alexa to her breaking point. He pressed where it hurt the most, until she was either on the ground and bleeding or passed out from magical exhaustion.

It made him a ruthless asshole, but it also made him the perfect person to help Alexa master her new wand. If the wooden menace needed to be battle-tested, it would be.

In the end, the wand would either yield in her hand or it would splinter in it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why do I feel like this chapter came out weird? lol I can't quite put my finger on it.  
> I had a difficult time writing, mostly because I had more work to do for University than usual. Also, because I started reading Naruto fanfiction and now I kind of want to write one haha I'll try to finish this one first though.
> 
> After reading your comments under the last chapter I have decided to make some adjustments. Mostly, you wanted to read about Beauxbatons so I added this chapter in-between the time skips to make room for that. Initially, I was going to skip this school entirely, because I don't want to take too long before we get to Tom.  
> I want to point out that I added the "rape/non-con" tag, because I do have a scene of this kind planned for the near future. It definitely won't be the following chapter, so you don't worry about it for now. I will warn you directly in the beginning of the chapter it appears in, so you can skip it if you need to. I will also probably add some sort of summary to make sure everyone is caught up about what happened without having to read about the sordid details. Remember that if it's going to negatively impact your mental health, you don't have to read it. If that's the case, I don't want you to read it. I'll make sure you are all adequately warned when the time comes.  
> I'm also wondering if I should add Hermione/Charlie relationship tag. I kind of don't want to, because it ruins the surprise in the first chapter, but maybe I should. Any thoughts on that?  
>   
> You might be interested to know that the quote from Gregorovich about Hawthorne (‘makes a strange, contradictory wand, as full of paradoxes as the tree that gave it birth, whose leaves and blossoms heal, and yet whose cut branches smell of death.’) is apparently an actual quote from the man himself! I was wavering between Hawthorne and Yew, but when I found that little nugget, I've made my decision. Since I already knew Alexa would be buying her wand from Gregorovich, it was too much of a perfect opportunity to pass up :)  
>   
> Lastly, pardon my French ;) I don't speak a word of it haha it was all done with online translators. So if something is terribly wrong, please do feel free to correct me. As always, thank you very much for reading. Let me know if you have any thoughts, I love reading them and I try to respond to every comment.  
> Have a lovely day!  
> XOXO


	8. Chapter 8

October 19th 2000

For way too long she had to refrain from going on serious missions. Today she was once again standing around like a tool, watching a group of fighters depart. She already had a clean bill of health from Katie, but Charlie refused to assign her anywhere. Instead, he put her in charge of the send off and now, she had only Ginny left to check.

“Do you remember the password?” she asked for the second time in ten minutes. Ginny nodded stiffly, focused on adjusting the knife sheath on her thigh.

Ernie Macmillan was the one who suggested introducing melee weapons to their repertoire. Death Eaters rarely expected a physical attack and the element of surprise could mean the difference between life and death.

“And the signal?”

“Three, red sparks.”

“And-”

“Oh my god, Hermione! Will you stop it?!” Ginny exclaimed, almost growling in frustration. “I've got it! You don't have to ask the same bloody thing a hundred times!”

Hermione clenched her jaw, feeling her temper flare up.

“You know I have to make sure you know those things! It's for your own safety!”

Ginny placed her hands on her hips, matching her glare with equal ferocity.

“I know! Stop treating me like a damn child!”

“Then maybe stop acting like one!” Hermione yelled out, causing a few heads to turn their way. “I've had enough of your attitude. I'm trying to help!”

The redhead's face was getting redder by the second. Only she wasn't sure if it's from anger or embarrassment. People were starting to stare. Everyone could tell there was a storm brewing between them for some time.

“I don't need your help!” Ginny spat angrily. Hermione couldn't help it. She started laughing. Loudly and mockingly. Ginny clenched her fists, visibly seething. “You think it's so funny?!”

“I think it's borderline delirious.” Hermione snorted. The bitterness of the past few months was finally coming through. “For you to say something like this after I spent months teaching you Wandless Magic? After I saved your life?! Which, by the way, thank you so much for coming to see me in the hospital! You know, while I was trying not to die after SAVING YOUR ASS!

Ginny's face turned a whole new shade of burgundy. When she screamed, it sounded like an explosion.

“I didn't fucking ask you to do that!”

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing.

“You ungrateful little brat...” she spat, venom dripping from every word. “How dare you even-?”

“Yes, I fucking dare!”

They were both shaking at this point. Hermione wrung her hands through her hair. She was completely done with this conversation. As far she was concerned, Ginny was beyond reason at this point.

“Sit your ass down!” she barked. “You're not going anywhere in this state.”

Ginny's eyes widened. The air around them literally creaked with Magic.

“That's not your fucking decision!”

“But it is mine.”

Charlie's voice caused both their heads to whip around to the left. They were so busy going at each other's throats, they didn't even notice him coming closer. By now, he was standing right next to them, rubbing his face with frustration.

“Ginny, you're off the mission. Hannah can step in.”

“What?!” the girl yelled out, her brown eyes full of betrayal as she stared at her brother. Charlie shot her a glare.

“You can' even Apparate like this. I need someone with a level head.”

The vicious gleam in his sister's eyes should've warned them of what she's about to say, but even if forewarned, they wouldn't have believed it. Ginny grimaced nastily.

“Of course you would side with your fuck-toy.”

A blur of a movement and a sharp, echoing sound of flesh hitting flesh came next, amidst a chorus of shocked gasps. Ginny reeled back, holding her face as if she couldn't believe what just happened. Hermione growled as a pair of strong arms encircled her waist. She struggled and squirmed, her vision still bleeding red.

“LET ME GO!” she roared, but the arms were unyielding. “CHARLIE!”

“Calm down, firecracker.” he breathed out heavily, struggling to keep her limbs from nailing him in the face. “I think you've made your point.”

She growled in frustration, her heart pounding from the excess of adrenaline. Distantly, she saw Ron giving Ginny the same treatment.

“Don't be an idiot, Ginny! She'll fucking kill you if you jump on her like that.” he exclaimed, pulling her back. Then he squealed, almost allowing the redhead to slip out. “Don't fucking bite!”

Hermione deflated, her feet now firmly planted on the ground. Charlie didn't loosen his hold, just in case she was faking it. She smirked.

_Smart man._

“Okay now?” he whispered into her ear and she nodded. With a sigh, she leaned back into Charlie's arms. Chuckling, he kissed her on the cheek, relaxing slightly. “Didn't know you had such a strong, right hook, darling. Should I be scared?”

“If you find yourself a different fuck-toy, then definitely.” Hermione said, trying to relieve the tension, but bitterness was still colouring her tone. He chuckled again.

“Safe then.”

“Marginally.” she grumbled.

Charlie laughed, spinning her around to plant a short kiss on her lips.

“I think I'll take that risk.”

* * *

July 14th 1969

It took a while for the family to settle down at the table. The pre-dinner tea involved a lot of catching up. Mostly about Alexandrine's first year in the Academy and Bella's last in Hogwarts.

Yes, her cousin recently sat for her NEWT's and though results weren't yet in, they all knew she would do well. Bella would sooner die than dishonour her family by getting poor grades.

Alexa craned her neck, looking for a platinum blonde head of hair. Not because her uncle wasn't an interesting conversationalist, not at all, but because his youngest daughter had been ignoring her letters all summer.

It didn't help that by some unpleasant coincidence, which wasn't really a coincidence at all, Narcissa was seated as far away as possible without sitting at another table. Bloody Druella had her nasty fingers in every pie.

Seeing that the chances were slim, she put it off for later and turned back to her Godfather. Right in time for a wise comment from the culprit.

“How are you doing in school Alexandrine? Are you able to keep up with the curriculum?” Druella asked pleasantly, smiling over her wineglass.

“I'm doing well, thank you.” Alexa told her briefly, knowing full well what was coming. It was the same shtick she tried to pull every time. The fake expression of surprise looked sickening to her eye.

“Oh? Is that really so? If you need for one of my girls to tutor you, I'm sure they wouldn't mind. Narcissa has incredible grades, you know.”

_Liar._

Narcissa had mediocre grades at best. Out of the three Andromeda was the most studious by far and it showed. Both in exams and in conversation.

“No need. Thank you for the concern.” she responded sweetly, forcing something that resembled a smile to appear on her face.

“Yes, you're very welcome dear.” the woman nodded gracefully and her asinine smile didn't move an inch. “I just thought, you know, since you needed the two additional years... not to mention all of those tutoring lessons with Lord Arcturus... It must be such an inconvenience...”

“Really? Grandpa never said so! I'll tell him you said that though, just in case you're right.” Alexa batted her lashes innocently, watching the woman's countenance pale. “I would hate to be a bother!”

Uncle Cygnus coughed in a way that almost made her crack. She knew not to look at him, or else both of them would burst out laughing. Druella shot her husband and unpleasant glare, then lightly cleared her throat.

“No, no... forget I said anything. You're probably right, my dear.”

“I'm not sure...” Alexa hummed, biting her bottom lip in wonderment. “Grandpa is coming tomorrow so...”

A light choking sound could be heard from beside her. Without looking, she reached out to lightly pat Cygnus on the back. Druella looked a bit dizzy. Alexa's smirk threatened to slip past her lips as she went in for the kill...

“ _That is quite enough, daughter of mine.”_ Alphard's amused voice resonating in her mind, halted her right as she was opening her mouth. _“Your uncle is about to choke on his potatoes.”_

“ _Hmph.”_

“Maybe some water, Uncle?” she asked sweetly, just to fill up the silence.

“Yes, please.” Cygnus wheezed, still coughing into his hand. Alexa handed him the glass and patted him on the back once more, this time with a bit more force.

“Did Lord Arcturus really allow you to call him that?” it was Bella's mirthful voice, very much matching her expression. Like most everyone, she knew what was going on at the table.

“Didn't ask.” she deadpanned, causing Andromeda's giggles to spill through her hand. Alexa smirked. “He didn't seem mad about it.”

_Though his face was priceless._

Arcturus wasn't really her Grandfather. Unfortunately, by all rights that title belonged to Pollux, her father's father. Arcturus was actually her first cousin twice removed, but since he was also almost sixty years her senior it was difficult to regard him as one. Thus the moniker.

Bella chuckled too, shaking her head at Alexa's cheekiness. The girl turned to see if maybe Narcissa cracked a smile too, but no. The look she received was almost... hostile. Alexa turned away, furrowing her brow in confusion. Druella took this moment to excuse herself from the table. When she was gone, her husband straightened up in his chair.

“I'm all better now, thank you.” Cygnus said confidently, sending a wink her way. “And how are you finding the French, brother? Should I look forward to a new sister-in-law?”

“None that I can report about.” Alphard said blandly, though they all knew this was his polite way of telling his brother to mind his own damn business.

“Pity. What about you, my lovely Goddaughter? Any bachelors your father and I shall deal with?”

She chuckled. Cygnus just loved to tease her. No doubt he was itching to pay her back for the potato incident.

“Nothing to report here either, I'm afraid.”

“Oh yes, there is!” Andromeda exclaimed from the other side of the table, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “The one who took you to the ball!”

Alexa almost groaned out loud. Why the hell did she tell her about that anyway? She was such a bloody gossip! She levelled her cousin with a harsh glare, conveying: _You'll pay for that, traitor._ Dromeda just smiled angelically, utterly unbothered. Cygnus on the other hand, looked like the cat who got the cream.

“Ha! What's this about? Are you lying to your Godfather, my dear?”

She pursed her lips.

“There's nothing to say. It's just a boy who invited me to the Christmas Ball. We went together, that's it.”

“You said he was cute!” Dromeda sang, grinning wickedly. THAT caused her father's eyebrows to go up an inch.

Alexa visibly grimaced, shooting Andromeda a scathing look.

_Oh, you...!_

Alphard looked precariously interested by this piece of information.

“The Headmaster's son?”

“The Headmaster's son!” Bella repeated annoyedly, then huffed. “Why is this the first time I'm hearing about this?”

Alexa sputtered, her eyes darting between the three. Were they ganging up on her?! She was close to entering full panic mode.

“What are you people even talking about? It's a school dance not a marriage contract!”

“You never know, dear.” Cygnus chimed in, the devious look in his eye so similar to Dromeda's it was almost startling. “It might be a good match.”

“Maybe when the pimples have gone from his forehead.” Alexa scoffed, causing both Bellatrix and Andromeda to burst out in peals of laughter. She was pretty sure she heard Cissa's giggle somewhere in the background. Cygnus chuckled as well, drawing the attention of his three daughters, who rarely got to see him so amused.

Her father didn't hide his mirth, laughing heartily, then leaned over to kiss her temple.

“Don't worry, princess. When I give your hand to a man, he won't have a pimple in sight.”

She snorted, poking him in the ribs good-naturedly. Druella chose this moment to come back, complete with a reprimanding glare as she noticed her guest behaving less than formally at the dinner table.

A look of distaste briefly flickered over Cygnus' face, before he reclined in his chair with a glass of wine. The girl were already staring down at their plates, as if committing every carrot to memory. Alexa sighed quietly. As far as she was concerned, this dinner was over before it began.

In the brief interlude between dinner and drinks, Alexa managed to corner her cousin in the corridor. Narcissa looked less than pleased, bestowing her cousin with a once-over her future son could be proud of.

_Not exactly a good sign, but oh well._

“Cissa, what's wrong? Are you upset with me?” she asked, deciding on a gentle approach. Narcissa fixed her icy blue stare on her younger cousin.

“Of course not. Is that all?”

The lack of emotion in her voice sounded disturbingly familiar. It reminded her too much of the Narcissa staring at her while she was sprawled out on her Drawing Room floor at Malfoy Manor. Still, this was different. This time she was family.

“You haven't responded to any of my letters.” Alexa was careful not to let any accusation seep into her voice. It came out soft and questioning, simply a request for an explanation. Narcissa looked away with a huff.

“Well, yes. I was hoping you would get the hint, but apparently not.”

Alexa stared at her, waiting for more, but nothing came. She could feel herself becoming highly annoyed. The mannequin act was quickly getting old.

“What does that mean?” she insisted, her demeanour growing colder by the moment.

“You don't have to pretend we're friends. We're not. We never were.” Narcissa crossed her arms. “You've always been close with my sisters, that's true, but the two of us have nothing in common.”

This was not what she'd been expecting when she approached her cousin. Not at all. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Where is this coming from all of a sudden?”

Cissa's lips tightened into a narrow line.

“I know you think I'm brainless and incapable of thinking for myself, but I assure you, that's not the case.”

Alexa was taken aback by her combative attitude. Narcissa was usually so mellow and polite. What the hell? She took a calming breath.

“We're family Cissa, what do you want me to do? I know I have more in common with Bella and Dromeda, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends. I still care about you...”

“Don't patronise me!” Narcissa spat, cold fury blazing her eyes. “I've had enough! It's always: your cousin this, your cousin that!”

Alexa winced, raising her brows with incredulity. Narcissa was becoming hysterical in a way she has never experienced before. And it looked like she was far from done.

“Everyone likes you better! The whole year you're gone and still all I hear is your name! You've exchanged more letters with Bella than she and I did conversations! Dromeda tells you everything! You! Not me! And she is my sister! Mine! Not yours!” she screeched, her breathing coming in pants. Realising she was yelling, she lowered her voice. “Even my bloody father likes you better than me!

It sounded like something Narcissa had been holding inside for quite a long time. Alexa was stumped and that didn't happen too often.

“I don't know what to tell you. I had no idea you felt that way, I'm sor-”

“Don't!” Narcissa snapped again, her face was already quite red and she showed no signs of calming down. “How can I not feel like this? When everyone keeps comparing us and I'm always the one they find lacking! Not as smart, not as pretty, not as talented of a Witch! I've had enough of this! Just leave me alone!”

Before Alexa could even put her braincells together to formulate and appropriate response, Narcissa was already turning on her heel to stomp away. She was left in the corridor, feeling like a complete dolt.

What could one say on such an occasion, honestly? If she assured her cousin that she was equally as smart, beautiful and talented, Narcissa would never believe it. Worse, Alexa would probably be called patronising again for even making such an attempt. But how come she was only hearing about this now?

Sure, she was very close with Bella and Dromeda, but that's nothing to be jealous about. It's not like the three sisters were in anything but the best of terms, right? And Cygnus? Sure, he could be quite a bit more stern with his daughters than his Goddaughter, but that didn't mean he loved them any less.

She was his youngest daughter, how could he not love her? This was the sort of naïve, short-sighted view a toddler would take when they got put in a corner for stealing candy, not a young, supposedly mature girl. Alexa was beyond confused.

How could Narcissa Black of all people feel inferior towards her? She was beautiful like an angel. She had an inborn grace that Alexa had to spend hours under Walburga's watchful gaze to even learn to imitate. And most importantly, she wasn't stupid by any means! Sure, she wasn't a genius, nor did she have amazing marks, but that had nothing to do with any innate skill, but rather her interests.

Narcissa was the type of girl who was more interested into starting a family than learning intricate, forgotten Magic. She didn't want to spend her life hunched over in the library or fighting Dark Wizards. She wanted to settle down with a nice husband, have a few kids and lead the life of a Pureblood socialite. That's what she was going to get, too.

She didn't really care for the things Alexa cared for, so why would she be jealous of them? Bella was always the one who put her effort in becoming the most talented Witch possible, not Narcissa. Alexa massaged her temples. All the screeching gave her a headache. She was about to get back to her father when Andromeda shot through the door like a bullet, grinning from ear to ear.

“You won't believe it! Father just agreed. After I graduate, I'm coming to France!” she exclaimed enthusiastically, throwing herself on Alexa.

She laughed, embracing her exuberant cousin. This was good. This was very good. A few months ago Alphard offered that Andromeda could come live with them in France for a while, helping him run the family business to get a bit more experience.

In reality it was a cover to get Andromeda out of Britain for a while. If they didn't, she would meet Ted Tonks within the year and get married in secret. That couldn't happen this time. Andromeda could not be disinherited. She wouldn't allow it. There needed to be another way.

Alexa didn't believe in soulmates. There had to be someone else for a person as wonderful as Dromeda. If she met someone else and fell in love, she could remain part of the family. Alphard already promised to introduce her around in France. Alexa was hoping someone would catch her fancy. Anyone. Just not Ted. Anyone else. She refused to denounce her cousin.

“I'm so happy for you!” she whispered, rubbing her cousins back. Andromeda leaned back, smiling with elation.

“I can't believe Uncle Alphard convinced him!”

 _He didn't,_ Alexa thought, _he wasn't able to._

Cygnus didn't see much sense in sending his daughter away to a foreign country. He simply wanted his daughter to marry and settle down after school. It was Arcturus, who came through for her once again. He was the one who stepped in to convince Cygnus to let Andromeda go.

Alexa felt conflicted about the whole thing. She knew she was messing with destiny in some sense. But if there was a chance that her cousin could fall in love and not get abandoned by her whole family in the process, she would take it. Truth to be told, Alexa didn't put much stock in destiny anyway.

Her existential crisis was somewhat interrupted by a finger tapping on her shoulder. Alexa looked up to see her cousin's sly smile, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“Why do I feel like you had something to do with this?

“Because you're a sneaky snake?” Alexa teased, inadvertently admitting her part in the whole affair. Dromeda took it all in stride, her smile growing even brighter.

“Ha! Is that why YOU didn't want to got to Hogwarts? You were worried that you would prove Bella correct?”

Bellatrix swore up and down that her favourite cousin would be sorted into Salazar's House. Alexa didn't find it as amusing as Dromeda did.

“Shut up, Hufflepuff.” she stuck out her tongue childishly. Andromeda giggled, grabbing her hand to drag her off somewhere.

“Come. We have to celebrate. The House Elves made your favourite cakes.”

“Does your mother know that?” Alexa snickered, allowing herself to be led around the place like a lost puppy. Andromeda threw her a what-do-you-think type of look over her shoulder.

“Of course not.”

* * *

September 1st 1970

The oddly esoteric, haunting tune ended with a round of applause. The wood nymphs flitted around the room, giggling and twirling between the tables. The Headmaster stood from his seat at the Head Table, prompting the playful, pixie-like creatures to gather around their tree and sink into the grass in silence.

Alexa took a moment to look around the Dining Hall while the Headmaster approached the podium. The room was always more beautifully decorated for the Sorting Ceremony. The tables were still clear of food, since none of the students were allowed to order from the menu before the Sorting Ceremony.

As always during an important event, the usual white tableware was replaced with a gorgeous crystal set with vines painted along the edges. A gorgeous composition of candles and white lilies served as centrepieces on every table. Strands of live ivy were wrapped around the chandeliers, complete with a rainbow of beautiful flowers growing between the leaves.

The stage behind the Head Table looked even more picturesque than usual. The wood nymphs took great care of their little garden. Rows and rows of the most stunning flowers surrounded the tree, from colourful dahlias and freesias, to plain marigolds. Even the daisies seemed to be glistening today. The dogwood tree was, as always, in full bloom, the white flowers covering the crown like a soft blanket.

Alexa could already see the little creatures busying themselves with plaiting flower crowns when the Headmaster raised both of his hands, commanding the room into a complete silence.

“Bienvenue! C'est une nouvelle année dans notre prestigieuse Académie.” the Headmaster announced with a polite smile. “Comme toujours, notre premier ordre du jour est d'affecter nos plus jeunes étudiants à leurs Maisons respectives.”

(Welcome! It's a new year in our esteemed Academy./As always, our first order of business is to assign our youngest students to their respective Houses.)

The students didn't make a sound as he was speaking, but they didn't have to for their excitement to be obvious. Alexa was the third one in line. Since they would be Sorted alphabetically only Philibert and Silvain would precede her. People around her were literally brimming with nervous, excited energy.

Alexa tuned out the Headmaster when he started explaining how the Sorting Ceremony would go. She stuck her head out of the line to see how Celeste was doing and saw her fidgeting with her braids. She always did that when she was excited. Alexa straightened up, smirking.

Celeste would definitely be Sorted into Papillonlisse. Her bright, bubbly personality and unwavering optimism were one of the most obvious markers of that House. So was their tendency to daydream and natural affinity for art. With her emotional outlook on life and hopeless romanticism, Celeste was in many ways the exact opposite of Alexa. That's probably one of the reasons they got along so well. Celeste was like a breath of fresh air and there was no doubt that she would make a perfect butterfly.

“Philibert Julien Astier!”

It was starting. Alexa's eyes closely followed the boy approaching the Headmaster's podium. Next to it, there was a square, marble stand with a gorgeous bow made out of dogwood on top of it. The bow itself was whimsically shaped, with swirling carvings along its length. A quiver full of arrows lay next to it.

Philibert picked up the bow and took a single arrow out of the quiver. He positioned the arrow with enviable confidence and took his shot, aiming it high into the ceiling. Clearly, the boy had a flare for the dramatic. As soon as it reached the highest point of the room, the arrow exploded into a bright, purple light.

“Papillonlisse!” the Headmaster announced calmly and a round of applause echoed from the table on the far left side of the room, where Philibert was now making his way.

This was good. Celeste would have some company in her House. The two of them got along very well already. Papillonlisse was a good fit for the boy. He was talented enough a sculptor to be called a prodigy at ten years of age. He was also a bit obsessed with aesthetics in her opinion, which tended to happen with Papillonlisse. Celeste was different in that respect. She wasn't opposed to getting down and dirty, especially when painting.

“Silvain Baume!”

When the Headmaster asked for him, the boy was already half-way there. He was grinning so widely his face would probably soon start to cramp. He snatched the bow and arrow from the stand, shooting it out before even taking proper aim. It didn't matter though, because the arrow barely left the bow before exploding into a vibrant, leaf green light.

“Bellefeuille!”

Still grinning, Silvain skipped towards the applauding table. The Headmaster shot a disapproving look towards the Bellefeuille students. They were always a bit too rambunctious in comparison to the other two Houses. It didn't surprise her either.

If she had to describe the House in more familiar terms, she would call Bellefeuille a perfect mix between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. She couldn't help but feel that Neville would fit amazingly there. Bellefeuille members were often kind, brave and loyal to a fault. They usually had great skill in Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures, and overall a strong connection with nature. Just like the Gryffindors, they could also be a bit brash and impulsive, which endeared her to them, even if it sometimes caused her to shake her head in disbelief.

“Alexandrine Cassiopeia Black.”

She smiled placidly, making her way to the podium. Alexa had a feeling that there was only one place for her at this school. The House of those who value logic, intelligence and cunning. The ones with big ambitions, as well as the drive and the brains to make them come to fruition. The third and arguably most formidable House of them all.

Alexa paused in front of the stand. The bow looked truly majestic up close. She picked it up carefully and chose an arrow. The quiver, as far as she knew, was charmed to always stay full, so as soon as she made her shot, it would refill itself.

Holding the weapon with a firm hand, she positioned the arrow, pointing it straight across the room. Alexa pulled, then released. The arrow soared into the air, reaching halfway down the Dining Hall before bursting in an explosion of dark blue light, thus sealing her fate.

“Ombrelune!”

* * *

September 8th  1971

_Dear, amazing, incredible cousin!_

_I have no idea what you told Mother to pacify her, but whatever it was, it worked! Apparently she was blowing her top off and Reggie even told me she was going to send a Howler. A HOWLER! I'm really glad she didn't! Father didn't really care, as far as I know. Reggie overheard him tell Mother that they shouldn't really be surprised and that Gryffindor produced as many great Wizards as Slytherin did. Now THAT sounds like something you would say, doesn't it?_

_Well today I got a letter from Mother, telling me to study hard and not to bring shame to House Black. That's pretty much as good as it gets with her, right? So whatever you did, thank you. You are a miracle worker! I'm not even going to ask how you knew where I got Sorted before I told you. Not that you would answer anyway._

_So I met these three, great guys on the Express. You would love them! James is really cool. He told me about a prank he pulled on his parents last summer. I'll tell you when you visit. You'll die laughing! He's really into Quidditch too and we're both going to try out for the team next year! Peter has two left feet though, so I don't think he'll be joining us. He's kind of shy and quiet, but he's really nice! Remus is also pretty fun, I think you would like him the most, always has his nose in a book! He's kind of weird sometimes, but we still like him. We're all in Gryffindor so we hang out together a lot. There's also Snivellus. He's a Slytherin. I know you like to say that Slytherins can be nice, but I think you're only saying that because you haven't met Snivellus. He's a real piece of work, let me tell you. He thinks he's some kind of a genius, just because he gets a few questions right. Nobody likes him, because he's really rude and arrogant. Only one girl from Gryffindor hangs out with him, I don't even know why. He's mean as hell._

_The classes are really interesting too. James and I are the best in Transfiguration, but I think the Professor doesn't like us very much. She keeps docking points even though she's our Head of House. The Slytherin's Head doesn't do that! Defence is pretty cool too. Remus is really good in that class._

_Anyway, I'll write sometimes soon. Say hi to Celeste from me. It was really nice to meet her. Also, ask Dromeda to send me some more of those chocolate lollipops. Remus really loved them. Take care!_

_Your favourite cousin,_

_Sirius_

_PS. I know Reggie didn't tell you about the Sorting, so don't even try it!_

Alexa folded the letter, smiling as she read the postscript, written in her cousin's messy, careless scrawl. “Pacifying” Walburga, as Sirius so eloquently put it, wasn't as difficult as he imagined it. That Howler would never have been sent, regardless of her intervention. Such a thing would show discord in the family and Blacks simply didn't air their dirty laundry in public.

Not to mention, she has been priming them for this very occasion for years. All it took were a few, well-placed words into her Aunts ear and she calmed right down. Walburga knew as much as anyone, that the House of Godrik Gryffindor wasn't a place for the weak. Their family respected strength, so it was only a matter of convincing Walburga that this event would make the Blacks stronger, not weaker. She was hoping for this sentiment to last.

_Peter... Fucking Peter._

Even seeing his stupid name made her scowl. She would take care of that little rat. Sooner or later, his time would come to an end and she will be the one to end it.

Celeste plopped down on the seat next to her, drawing her attention away from her vengeful thoughts and the family drama. Even though they were in separate Houses, they always made sure to sit together on the weekends.

“Bon appétit!” the girl sang into her ear, looking all excited. Truth to be told, Celeste was quite easily excitable. “Quelle belle journée!”

(Enjoy your meal!/What a beautiful day!)

“Oui, ça l'est. Salutations de Sirius.” she responded, waving the letter her way before putting it into her bag.

(Yes it is. Greetings from Sirius.)

Celeste sighed, her eyes barely focused on the menu in front of her. Ever since she first saw Sirius this summer, she claimed to be irrevocably and helplessly in love with the boy.

“Il est si gentil. Pourquoi ne m'as-tu jamais dit que tu avais un si beau cousin?”

(He is so sweet. How come you never told me you had such a handsome cousin?)

“Parce que si quelqu'un m'entendait et le signalait à sa mère, elle pourrait trouver son excuse pour nous faire marier.” she told her friend with mock seriousness.

(Because if anyone heard me and reported it to his mother, she might find her excuse to have us marry.)

Celeste scrunched up her nose in distaste, causing Alexa to snort into her waffles. She threw her friend a playful look.

“Ne t'inquiète pas, mon papillon. Mes goûts sont plus exotiques que ma famille élargie.”

(Don't worry, my butterfly. My tastes are more exotic than my extended family.)

Before Celeste could answer, the Headmaster walked into the Dining Hall and they had to stand up, acknowledging his arrival. Only after he sat down, the students were allowed to reclaim their seats. Celeste finally ordered her breakfast and Alexa dove back into hers.

“Que faisons nous aujourd'hui?”

(What are we doing today?)

Alexa hummed in thought.

“Je dois aller à la bibliothèque plus tard.”

(I have to go to the library later.)

“Non, tu n'as pas à le faire. Tu le veux.” Celeste teased her good-naturedly. “C'est bien, car j'ai un croquis à terminer pour lundi.”

(No, you don't have to. You want to./That's good, because I have a sketch to finish by Monday.)

“Nous pouvons faire de l'équitation.” Alexa proposed, then took a sip of orange juice.

(We can go horseback riding.)

“Oui, s'il te plaît!” Celeste exclaimed, almost bouncing in her seat.

(Yes, please!)

Alexa smiled indulgently. Celeste's enthusiasm was infectious and horseback riding was one of the activities that brought it out the quickest. She would happily spend a few hours satiating her need for outdoor activities. It would improve both of their moods. Not that Celeste's needed much improving today... or ever.

* * *

January 25th 1972

_Dear cousin!_

_Thank you so much for the wedding gift. Rodolphus and I both love it. I'm sure it will look beautiful in our new home. We are both interested to know where you found it. As a Curse-Breaker, Rodolphus is very interested in artefacts and antiques._

_Though I wish you were there with me, the day went as well as it could've under the circumstances. The decorations were a bit too ostentatious and I'm sure you would've hated it, but the guests seemed to appreciate the food, the music and certainly the party favours you suggested. For that, I am thankful. Dromeda and Cissy made gorgeous bridesmaids and have you been present, you would've joined them, I want you to know that._

_I wanted to write to you before we leave for Marocco, to assure you that I do not blame you for missing the wedding. I know you wanted to come and that you would've, if it was only possible. We both know who is to blame for your absence. Rest assured that it will not be forgotten._

_I will be writing as soon as I return. Hopefully, we will soon see one another in person._

_Sincerely,_

_Bellatrix Callidora Black_

Alexa folded the letter with a sigh. She could tell her cousin was having a difficult time. She wished she could be there to support her. Not only were Bella's in-laws unbelievably hostile, her new husband was also... quite aloof. Though she hasn't met him yet, from what Bella told her, she could tell that Rodolphus wasn't exactly a touchy-feely type of person. Though in his defence, not many Purebloods were.

But the fact that Druella specifically set the wedding for a time when Alexa was still at school so that she couldn't attend, was a hit below the belt. She was so focused on snubbing her niece that she didn't even hesitate to hurt her own daughter in the process. As far as Alexa was concerned, the woman has reached a new low. Steps would need to be taken to put Druella in her place.

The only part of Bella's letter that made her smile was the signature. She still thought of herself primarily as a Black, not a Lestrange. It was sweet in a way, how loyal she was to her family.

February 6th 1973

_Dear Alexa!_

_You asked me to write when something important happens so here I am. Cissa told me that uncle Cygnus will be asking Dromeda to come home. He wants her to officially enter into Courtship with Nott so that Narcissa can do the same with Malfoy after she finishes school next year. You should probably warn her, but she will have to come back soon. You know how stubborn uncle Cygnus can get._

_Besides that, everything's pretty normal. Hogwarts is still great. I've made a few more friends in Slytherin. The other Houses don't really want to hang out with us, but that's fine. I'm doing really well in all of my classes, especially History of Magic, though the teacher is still kind of boring. I've told you about him, remember? The ghost one. Anyway, Rabastan keeps distracting me during the lessons, but I'm doing most of the reading in the library anyway. I'm studying hard, I promise._

_Sirius and his stupid friends are really wreaking havoc in this school. Mother has received three letters from McGonagall this year and I have a feeling Sirius will be grounded for the whole summer once we get home. The four idiots released fifty chocolate frogs into the Potions classroom. Can you believe it?_

_Don't tell Sirius I said it, because his head is already plenty big, but he's a pretty good Beater. There's a Slytherin vs. Gryffindor match in a few weeks and I'm not really sure who to cheer for. You know, my Housemates might just kill me if I show any support for Gryffindor. You were totally right about the House rivalry. It's ridiculous sometimes. Well, I'll let you know how it goes, I'm sure Sirius will too._

_We all missed you at the wedding. You should know that Bella doesn't blame you. She even fought about it with Cissa before the ceremony. So don't worry about it, okay?_

_Say hello to Uncle Alphard. I hope you're doing well._

_With love,_

_Regulus Arcturus Black_

His writing looked so much neater and refined than his brother's, it always made her chuckle. The two couldn't be any more different. Those differences were only solidified when Reggie got Sorted into Slytherin a few months back.

It was a relief, especially for Walburga, who feared both of her sons would be lost to the lions. Alas, Alexa's “prediction” came true and the Black Family could breathe freely once again. It's not like no one from their family has ever been Sorted into a different House. Sirius was just one of those exceptions and by now, they have all accepted it. 

Sighing softly, she scratched Snowball behind the ear. He purred in appreciation, nuzzling his face into her hand. No one ever believed her when she told them the Kneazle was such a softie behind closed doors. She didn't blame them. Especially when he kept hissing at them like an angry, little viper.

* * *

April 15th 1974

The breakfast table at Grimmuald was unusually lively today and not even Walburga tried to get them to settle down. Alexa had a suspicion that secretly her Aunt was even more excited for her visit than Sirius and Regulus were. As per usual, Uncle Orion was busy reading the newspaper and pretending not to pay attention to their conversation.

“Will you stay for a full week, dear?” Walburga asked, smiling pleasantly at her niece.

“Yes, Father has agreed.” she confirmed happily, cutting into another pancake with gusto.

Despite all of his faults, one thing couldn't be denied; Kreacher made amazing food. She missed his cooking immensely while she was away. Even though Beauxbatons had incredible cooks, the food made by Wispy and Kreacher tasted like “home”.

“Very well. Andromeda sent an owl, she will be here tomorrow for dinner. I'm sure she wants to tell you all about her fiancé.”

Alexa nodded, keeping her face as neutral as possible. It was difficult to accept that after two years in France, meeting wonderful young men and living her life to the fullest, Andromeda came back to Britain to make her Courtship with Nott official. Even worse, she appeared to be completely fine with this arranged marriage. They were set to marry next year and Alexa had no idea what to think about it.

She didn't anticipate this being the consequence of her intervention. Now her cousin wouldn't be disinherited, but the price for that was her entering into a loveless marriage. She could technically come to love her new husband later, but would that be the same as her relationship with Ted Tonks? Alexa felt guilty just thinking about. If she forever deprived her cousin of true love, she would never forgive herself.

“So did you get to ride on that unicorn?” Sirius piped up excitedly, causing Regulus to look up from his plate. The boy still had a deep interest in Magical Creatures and he couldn't wait to take the class in his third year.

“Yes and it was amazing! I thought Celeste was going to faint on the spot.” she laughed, recalling her friend's awed expression. “And how is Hogwarts?”

A brief pause followed, during which the two brothers glanced at each other, none of them eager to speak. It was unusual enough to make her suspicious. Sirius especially always had something to say. Alexa narrowed her eyes.

“Sirius is always in trouble.” Walburga commented dryly, shooting her oldest a stern look. Sirius huffed a bit, but didn't dispute the claim. “The Potter boy is always getting him into trouble.”

Alexa almost laughed out loud. That sounded way too familiar.

“I'm sure they are both equally troublesome, Aunt Burga.” she said jokingly, poking Sirius in the side. He chuckled under his breath. “And you, Reggie?”

“I'm very well.” Regulus answered politely, his smoky, grey eyes looking a bit too serious for his age.

“More than well, my dear. The best student in his class.” Walburga boasted, looking over at her son with clear, motherly pride.

“Maybe the class is full of idiots.” Sirius jibed under his breath.

He was lucky his mother sat on the other side of the table, because that could've easily earned him a good smack. It would've been deserved too. Unfortunately, Alexa did hear it and judging from the way he flinched, so did Regulus.

She narrowed her eyes on the older one of her cousins. Sirius could be nasty when he wanted to, she knew that from the way he spoke about “Snivellus” and other Slytherins in his letters. But so far that vitriol was never directed at his brother. When had that changed?

Did Sirius really take stupid House rivalries seriously enough to let such a banality pit him against his own blood? Alexa furrowed her brows in thought. She'd have to look into that. If there was a conflict brewing, it would be easier to nip it in the bud before it escalated.

The rest of their breakfast went on without incident. While Kreacher was clearing the table, Orion folded his newspaper and directed his gaze to their Houseguest.

“Would you like to assist me in the lab? I have a few Potions I want to make.”

“Yes!” Alexa answered immediately, a bright smile blooming on her face.

Uncle Orion was quite a creative potioneer. Though he only brewed simple potions for household use, she enjoyed watching him work. He worked with a ruthless sort of efficiency, that kind of reminded her of Professor Snape. His movements were quick, practised and deliberate. No time wasting, no hesitating. He knew what he was doing and he would do it well.

They stood from the table and almost immediately, Snowball was rubbing against her calves. Orion spared one look at her Kneazle and grew suddenly stern, saying:

“The feline stays outside.”

“But...”

“No, Alexa. No more fur in my cauldrons.” he told her decisively, his brow lowering over his eyes. She pouted.

“I brushed him last night. He'll sit still, I swear!”

When Orion's hand travelled upwards to rub against his forehead, she knew he had him.

“Fine, but you're cleaning up if he leaves a mess.”

“Yes Uncle, thank you!” she sang happily, giving the man a quick hug. Orion sighed and patted her on the head. He was still hella awkward, but she gave him points for trying.

Once she released him from her clutches, he made his way towards the lab. Alexa looked down at her Kneazle.

“No walking around, okay? Or we'll both get kicked out.”

He rubbed his face on her knee, purring. She cracked a smile. Snowball was one, smart feline. He was as big as a medium-sized dog by now, but that didn't make him any less adorable and he knew it. They were now a package deal. Wherever she went, he did as well. He had nice manners too, only he didn't choose to use them most of the time. She turned to Reggie before she left.

“I'll see you later in the library?”

He smiled serenely.

“Of course, I have a few new books to show you.”

Alexa hummed contentedly and went after her Uncle, a white Kneazle following her every step.

* * *

July 29th 1974

Alexa paced her room like a caged animal. She knew it was going to end this way. Last Christmas when Andromeda told her about meeting a man named Ted on her trip to London, she knew it couldn't be a good thing. But this? This was the stuff of her worst nightmares...

_...I'm petrified by the thought of anyone finding out. I'll be disgraced. Our whole family... they will never forgive me. Father definitely won't. Even Bella... I can't do this on my own._

_The wedding is in two weeks. Please, Alexa! I need your help! You have to come! I beg of you..._

She read her letter so many times, she almost had it memorized. The parchment itself turned to ash in her fireplace an hour ago. Andromeda should've never even put those words on paper. Alexa cursed. Truthfully, she wanted to scream.

How was this even possible? This wasn't supposed to happen! Not now! Bitterly, she thought that maybe Andromeda and Ted were destined for each other after all. Maybe nothing she could've done would separate their destinies from one another.

She needed to do something. There was no way she'd leave her cousin alone with this. She had to... speak with her father.

* * *

Alphard rubbed his chin in thought. He's been silent for a solid minute now and she was beginning to worry. Alexa was still jittery, she couldn't even sit down so she was still pacing, only this time in her father's office. The news shocked her more than she could describe. She couldn't lose Dromeda. She wouldn't.

“Are you sure, princess?” Alphard asked gently, his voice full of concern. “You wanted to finish your education here. You love Beauxbatons.”

Alexa shook her head.

“That doesn't matter. Dromeda needs me. This is... Father, this is really big.”

“Are you sure, you don't want to tell me? You know I would never...”

“I know, Father.” she assured him softly. There was no one she trusted more than Alphard Black. “It's just... not my secret to tell. Do you understand?”

“Is it about the wedding?” he asked quietly, his expression sombre. After a moments hesitation, she nodded. A sad shadow passed over his face. “You know she can't get out of it now. It's too late. The wedding is two weeks away.”

“I'm not sure what she will do Father, but I know that she can't do it on her own.”

Alphard nodded slowly, the put forth another issue she didn't yet have time to think about.

“What about Celeste? You care about her too.”

Her heart clenched, but her mind already knew the answer.

“I do, but right now she can do without me. Dromeda can't.” she said with a cool, detached logic that made Alphard quirk his brow. “In three years we would've been separated anyway. It was inevitable that we come back to Britain. I'm not happy that it has to be sooner, but... I have to do what is right.”

“I respect your decision, my daughter. I can see you will not be deterred.” her father said with an affectionate smile. Alexa breathed out with relief.

“You don't have to come with me. I know you have your work and...”

“Don't be silly.” Alphard interrupted, dismissing her worries with a wave of his hand. “If you're leaving, so am I. There's no reason for me to stay.”

A surge of emotion towards her father almost made her choke up. She smiled at him shakily.

“But you know I'll spend most of my time at Hogwarts anyway.”

“You know I'll spend most of my time travelling anyway.” he reiterated, a teasing glint in his eye. “It doesn't matter much if I'll be coming back to the Villa or the Chateau. But it does matter how close you will be and where you'll be going for the holidays.”

Alexa nodded in understanding. Her father's devotion never ceased to amaze her. She could tell him about floo travelling and owls, and floo calls, but in this case it would make no difference. Sometimes her father could be just as stubborn as she was and she loved him for it.

Alphard smiled mildly, leaning back in his chair.

“It's decided then?”

Alexa nodded firmly.

“Yes, we're moving back to Britain.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again :)  
> Didn't I just post like three days ago? Damn, this chapter came to me quickly. I'll probably take a break for a few days now. My eyes need a vacation. For some reason this chapter was way easier to write than the last one. Maybe because I'm eager to escape France and move back to more familiar territory. And while we're on the subject... surprise?  
>   
> When I made the decision to send Alexa to France, I knew it would be temporary. Some of you were excited about it, some of you were disappointed. I've been dropping hints here and there that she wouldn't be able to stay there for as long as she would like, but I guess that didn't tip you off. You didn't think I would make her transfer, huh? :D  
> In this story, Alexa needs to go to Hogwarts. Not because it's canon or anything, but because she needs to meet some very important people. She will make friends and enemies there that would be difficult to even encounter if she was already out of school. So let's have our cake and eat it too, shall we?
> 
> The time skips are now over. In the next chapter we will be settling back into Britain. Alexa is now fifteen and a half and she will be attending her fifth year in Hogwarts. Right in time for her OWLs :)  
> We will also check back with the family and most importantly, Andromeda. What kind of trouble do you think she's gotten herself into? I'm pretty sure it's easy to guess haha
> 
> If you would like to read more about the Beauxbatons Houses or the school in general, here are the resources I used:  
> https://beauxbatonsacademyx.weebly.com/houses.html#  
> https://wizarding-elite.fandom.com/wiki/Beauxbatons_Academy_of_Magic
> 
> Lastly, I have thank yous to give. To Loreline and Bachatera for rescuing me from poorly written, French dialogue. Thanks to you, your fellow compatriots don't have to suffer my ignorance. So cheers to you! If there are corrections to be made in this chapter, which I'm sure there are, I humbly request your help once again :)
> 
> We have a lot of new developments. Alexa's conflict with Druella is escalating. Bellatrix is married and having some relationship troubles. Alexa and Alphard are moving back to Britain. Not to mention Narcissa's and Ginny's respective freak-outs. Let me know your thoughts about what has happened. I'm eager to hear what you all think.  
> XOXO


	9. Chapter 9

August 2nd 2001

Seeing his brother was a welcome reprieve in these times of hardship. Bill seemed surprised at the state of affairs. Britain was now nearly completely closed off from the rest of the magical world. It was difficult to get news, even in France.

 _No wonder_ , he bitterly thought, _the Dear Leader is slowly turning our magical community into some North Korea style dictatorship._

Half-bloods were treated like second-class citizens, but at least they could show their faces in public without getting killed. The Ministry was now a joke. Crawling with Death Eaters from top to bottom. Azkaban was close to empty. People didn’t get imprisoned anymore, they were simply killed. More and more often, people were closing shop and escaping this hellhole. Charlie was glad that his brother escaped as soon as he did.

“So you and Hermione, huh?” Bill smirked, looking to the other side of the camp, where a bushy-haired witch chatted away with her friend.

Charlie laughed quietly.

“Yeah.”

“Who would’ve thought you’d last a year?” Bill teased him. “She’s a handful this one.”

“I’ve seen dragons more tame than Hermione.” he joked, but the fond smile on his face betrayed his emotions. “You should her dressing down our brother.”

“And Ginny?” Bill questioned, suddenly turning serious. Charlie sighed.

“Since their first big blowout, things just haven’t been the same.” he admitted quietly, a grimace twisting his features. “Ginny… she thinks this is some kind of rivalry between the two of them. Like Hermione is doing what she does to make her look bad, but in reality...”

“Hermione is just trying to help.” Bill finished, nodding in understanding. “I get it, our little sister was always strong and independent. She doesn’t like to be ordered around or owing them a favour.”

“Yeah… things got about a hundred times worse when Hermione saved her that time.” Charlie grumbled, relieved to be able to talk about it with someone. Ron could never listen like Bill did. He would’ve been flying off the handle five minutes ago. “It’s like she thinks Hermione arranged the whole thing so she had something to hold over her head. She’s… just being so childish about this.”

“And how’s Ron?”

“Not as bad.” Charlie shrugged. “They’re really not happy we’re in a relationship. Ginny thinks Hermione was playing us against each other. Honestly, Ginny is more upset about the whole thing than Ron is.”

“And Parvati?” Bill asked, a frown pulling at his features. “Can I ask…?”

“About the scar?” his brother nodded in concurrence. “It happened the same day Hermione saved Ginny. She got him with some kind of Dark Curse. It was a close call, Katie barely managed to keep her from losing an eye. She couldn’t do anything about the scar though. Too much Dark Magic.”

“That’s terrible.” Bill sighed, shaking his head sadly. “Ron wanted them to get together, you know.”

“Really?” Charlie didn’t hide his surprise. “I didn’t know about that.”

“He told me yesterday. Apparently, she wanted that too, but the scar… it’s holding her back. She thinks he’s only saying that out of pity.”

“Damn. That sucks.”

“And you? How are you and Hermione doing?” Bill asked again, but this time seriously. Charlie smiled contentedly.

“Better than I ever dared to hope.”

* * *

August 2nd 1974

It amused Alphard greatly to see how his daughter was treated upon their arrival. It had barely been a few hours since they came back to Britain. They weren't even unpacked when they received the missive from Arcturus about a fast-approaching family meeting. He didn't even dare ask how the man found out they were back in the country.

Family meetings weren't a frequent occasion among the Blacks. They happened about twice a year or simply put, when something important had occurred. Not everyone was invited. Arcturus' daughter Lucretia, for example, was currently living in Wales with her husband Ignatius, completely detached from the family life. Dorea avoided politics like the plague and Cassiopeia was absolutely uninterested in whatever shenanigans her family was up to. All she cared about was her mini zoo.

Narcissa and Druella usually wouldn't join them, since they were largely apolitical. Thus making their present today, that much more interesting. The only thing that begged the question even more, was Andromeda's unusual absence. He supposed that might have to do with her sudden troubles, whatever they were.

Sirius and Regulus were also absent since the children usually weren't invited unless the topic discussed involved them directly. Which was one of the reasons he observed those present especially carefully while they were greeting his fifteen-year-old daughter.

Watching her interact with Arcturus always made him want to chuckle. How she relished in throwing the term “Grandpa” around family and strangers alike, just to see the look on his face. Most of all, how Arcturus would then dismissively pat her on the head, pretending to be sullen and somber, even though his mouth was twitching like he was fighting back a smile. Their relationship was one of those unexplainable things in the world. So unique to them both that he struggled to understand their bond at all.

Ever since Alexa made her oath to protect the Black Family, there was an understanding between the two. A trust born out of necessity. Not to mention a healthy respect for each other's abilities. In a way, the two were quite similar. Arcturus was more cold-hearted, yes. Alexa would kill only if she had no other choice, whereas he would do so, if it was simply the most convenient choice.

But when the decision was made and the death had to occur, their plan would be the same, the execution barely different. Quick, ruthless, effective. Arcturus had a unique insight into his daughter's cunning mind. Their objectives were the same and that made them incredibly dangerous. Alphard could not imagine a more formidable duo.

That's one of the reasons he wasn't worried about Arcturus today. More often than not, the two worked in tandem with each other. No, it was the others that required his attention. Those who weren't aware of his daughter's deepest secrets and who could, even unwittingly, stumble upon something greatly detrimental to her future.

That her greeting with Walburga was especially warm surprised no one. The woman has been acting as the girl's mother for almost all of her life. She basically adopted Alexa as her own and Orion could grumble all he wanted, but he cared for Alexa just as much as his wife did. Alphard was more than certain that his cousin treated Alexa as if she was his own and he was exceedingly grateful for it.

That is to say nothing of Cygnus, who out of all of them, spoiled the girl rotten. She was the apple of his eye and whenever she was in the room, she had his full attention. Partly because Cygnus felt much comfortable in the role of a doting uncle rather than a strict father, which also showed with Sirius and Regulus, but also because he enjoyed annoying the hell out of his wife. A wife who now looked utterly enraged after being completely bypassed by his daughter during the greetings.

Alphard suspected that only Arcturus' presence was stopping Druella from jumping on Alexa like a hungry shark. He also suspected that his daughter knew about this beforehand. Their greeting, or lack thereof didn't surprise him one bit, but the one with Narcissa did. There was no hug and no handshake, only a simple “cousin” as an acknowledgment and a nod of their heads.

It raised a few eyebrows, including his own. He knew the two were never especially close, not like Alexa was with her other cousins. They've been drifting apart for a while, no doubt partly due to Druella's toxic influence, but he had no idea their relationship has deteriorated this much. Though it wasn't surprising, it was saddening. Narcissa was still his niece and he cared for her a lot.

Alexa hadn't mentioned it, but that didn't surprise him. Not only was his daughter inherently secretive, but she was also most likely trying to avoid disappointing him. She knew how much he wanted her to truly feel like a part of this family. That's one of the reasons he encouraged close relationships with her cousins. Especially since she avoided her other peers at all costs.

It was important to him that Alexa felt like a real Black. No matter who she was born as the first time and who she used be. She was his daughter this time around and the Black family was a huge part of that, good or bad. But now, seeing how aloof she and Narcissa became, he realized that perhaps he'd been pushing his daughter too much. A true bond couldn't be forced and he didn't want Alexa to feel as if she has failed. At that moment, he decided to speak to her about this soon.

The difference in interaction between her and the two sisters couldn't be anymore stark. Right after passing by Narcissa, she nearly Bellatrix with a hug, both girls smiling and whispering rapid words of welcome into each other's ears. Seeing it, warmed him immediately. The two were good for each other. Alexa was the only person who could make Bella look anything other than bored in a public setting. Bellatrix on the other hand, was fiercely protective of her cousin, treating her like a third younger sister. Allowing herself to show affection where she otherwise never would.

Now that he thought about it, this seemed to be the case for most of their family. Not Druella obviously, but Cygnus, Orion, Walburga, Cassiopeia and Bella. They were all people who didn't share their affection freely, unless it was with Alexandrine. Regulus was an exception to Walburga, just like her sisters were to Bellatrix, but beyond that, he couldn't think of another person who has managed to jostle their cold family like his daughter had. It made him proud.

Of course, some cases couldn't be helped, which brought his eyes to the last person in the room. The one, who he couldn't help but worry about the most. His own father.

As Pollux's eyes scanned his Granddaughter, they narrowed into two slits. Proper etiquette demanded that she was to welcome him second to the Paterfamilias, as he was the most senior person after him and her closes blood relation. His social status was also much higher than the rest of the attendees and yet, she has left him for last.

It could be deemed as a slight and if the displeasure on his father's face was any indication, he considered it to be so. Alexa turned her back on the man before a comment could conceivably be made, making him scowl ever harder. She took her place next to Alphard, shooting him a brief look. There was a peculiar glint to her blue eyes.

“ _Careful, daughter. My father is not a person to be trifled with.”_ he warned, establishing a connection with ease.

They've been communicating the privacy of their minds for years. Somehow, it just never stopped after she “learned” to speak.

“ _Nor am I.”_

The challenging note to her voice had him concealing a smile. It seemed his daughter was in a dangerous mood. It would certainly make for an interesting gathering.

“We will begin without further delay.” Arcturus said, when they were all settled comfortably. “Narcissa, I understand you have an announcement to make."

“A date has been set for my daughter's union with the Malfoy heir.” Cygnus told them in her stead.

Narcissa kept silent, looking down at her lap with an emotionless look on her face. Arcturus inclined his head in affirmation.

“Yes, I have received a copy of the contract. Are you happy with the results of the negotiations?”

“The Malfoys are a wealthy family. They didn't require a big dowry and their stipulations were fair.” Cygnus said contemplatively. Orion nodded in concurrence.

“It's a good match.”

“You will honor our family, Narcissa.” Walburga said kindly to the blonde.

“Thank you, Aunt Walburga.” her voice was polite and demure as always. Alphard noticed his daughter's eyes zoom in on her cousin with something akin to suspicion.

"And the wedding?"

"The planning will take some time since I'm doing it by myself." Druella responded, looking very pleased by the fact that there was no Lady Malfoy to offer unwanted input.

Lucius' mother passed away a few months after Lysette.

“Good." Pollux tapped on the chair support pensively, steel gray eyes narrowing under his heavy brow. "We need to assure the continuity of the family. Are you pregnant yet, Bellatrix?”

His direct question caused the girl in question to stare at him.

“No... not yet.” she admitted hesitantly. Clearly, she was unused to being questioned in this way. The man shook his head in displeasure, but said nothing. Bella deflated, immediately causing Alexa's anger to spark..

“It's only been two years.” Druella insisted, her shrewd eyes falling on her daughters. “Bella knows her duty.”

“At least one of them does.” Pollux grumbled, staring at Alexa who loked about ready to explode.

Alphard placed his hand on her arm, sensing what's coming. They briefly made eye contact.

“ _Don't let him provoke you.”_

 _“I won't let him speak to Bella like that.”_ _she asserted stubbornly, causing his eyes to crinkle in amusement._ _“She's a person, not a cow.”_

“ _I know. He's just...”_

“ _He is.”_

“ _You will get used to it, daughter.”_

“ _I'd rather kill myself.”_

He had to stop himself from laughing again. His daughter's temper was flaring today. Unfortunately, it looked like her patience would be severely challenged. As much was made clear with Druella's next words.

"All of our children should have their futures taken care of. Especially the girls." she said in that sickly sweet tone of voice. Alphard struggled not to roll his eyes, already knowing what's coming. Her stone cold, blue eyes settled on his daughter. "Shouldn't you secure a good match for Alexandrine? There is no time to waste, Alphard. We don't want your precious daughter to have to settle for a mediocre match."

"I'm not concerned." he said lightly, leaning back in his seat to appear more relaxed. "My daughter will have whomever she wishes when the time is right."

"You are being very irresponsible, son. It is disappointing." Pollux said, scrunching up his nose in distaste. "She is fifteen. She should've been betrothed years ago."

He cared not for his father's rebuke. It's been a long time since Pollux's words made any impact on him. However, he could tell Alexa was growing tense next to him. Talk of arranged marriages never sat well with her. Just as he was about to intervene to stop her from doing so, Arcturus decided to shoot down the discussion.

"I will personally oversee any negotiations for Alexa's hand. No candidate unworthy of her will be in consideration, I can assure you." he said with severity, leveling both Pollux and Druella with a grim look. "Alphard, you have news."

“Yes. As of today, my daughter and I are residing in Britain once more.” he announced calmly, noticing a few jolts of surprise. Bella, as expected, only smirked. She was probably aware since the very moment this decision has been made. “I have requested for Alexandrine to be transferred to Hogwarts. The Headmaster has agreed.”

This was the only reason they had to wait a few days before coming back. Alexa wanted to be sure her transfer would be possible first. He himself had no doubt Dumbledore would accept even though transfers between schools were pretty rare. One simply didn't make an enemy out of a Sacred Twenty-Eight family over such trivialities.

“You want this, Alexa?” Walburga asked, without concealing her confusion. “You always said how happy you were in France.”

Alphard watched his sister with a smile. How she has changed over the years. He never thought that the children would make her soften in this way. She was still formidable, of that there was no doubt, but she didn't use to be so concerned about the well-being of others. Now, Alexa's happiness was the first thing on her mind. The girl in question only smiled.

“It was my idea, Aunt Burga. I want to pass my exams in Britain.”

This was the excuse they settled for. Simple and easy to explain. If one wanted to have any sort of career in Britain, a British education would be more adequate. Alexa started to say as much, but was interrupted by a scoff.

“A career? What would you need with a career, foolish girl?” Pollux demanded imperiously. “You will soon be of age, it's high time you cease to entertain such silly notions. I don't know why your father hasn't yet signed a betrothal contract, but no respectable man will allow his wife to work.”

_This again?_

Apparently his father didn’t plan on giving up the topic, even after being dismissed by Arcturus. The more words left his mouth, the darker Alexa's expression became. By the end, she was glaring at the man, her Magic flaring dangerously.

“Allow?” she repeated coldly, her voice unnaturally harsh. Alphard saw her hands shake and knew she was struggling to reign in her temper. A quick look at Arcturus confirmed as much. Alexa glared at Pollux with uninhibited disdain. “No man will 'allow' me anything. I am not property to be governed by a man and you would do well to remember that, Grandfather.”

Druella gasped dramatically.

“Alexa.” Orion warned her sternly.

A heavy atmosphere overtook the room. Pollux's steel gray eyes narrowed on his Goddaughter, a grimace of anger twisting his features. He snarled.

“You will show me respect, you impudent little-”

“Respect is earned, not given.” she seethed, the swirling of Magical Energy becoming more prominent around her.

“Enough!” Arcturus boomed, causing the spectators to jump up in their seats. Alexa shot him an angry glare, completely unimpressed by the dangerous look in his eyes. “I have already spoken on the matter and I will not waste time watching the two of you bicker. Settle down or leave.”

He concealed a smile, watching Alexa throw one last glower at both men. Pollux looked sufficiently angry for being reprimanded. Out of all of them, he was the oldest after Arcturus and considered himself to be on par in authority with the man. That obviously wasn’t true. Only when the silence settled did Arcturus speak again.

“This decision is final, I take it?”

“Yes. We will not be moving again.” Alphard confirmed in lieu of his daughter, knowing she was definitely still seething inside. This once, she would probably forgive him for speaking in her stead.

“It is a good thing, whatever the reason.” Cygnus spoke up calmly, throwing his Goddaughter a warm wink. She smiled in response.

“I agree. You will be closer to the family and potential suitors as well.” Orion agreed with his cousin, prompting Walburg to nod in support.

The rest of the attendees refrained from speaking. At this point, Arcturus appeared eager to move on.

“If there isn't anything else, I'd like to move to the other part of our meeting.” Arcturus asserted confidently, knowing there wasn't any more to say. After a moment of quiet, he nodded. “Very well. Those of you who don’t need to participate should leave now.”

When Narcissa alone stood to walk out, eight pairs of eyes settled on Alexa. She was still a minor.

“Alexandrine will be staying... with my permission.” Arcturus asserted authoritatively. Pollux grimaced as if he just smelled something particularly nasty. The others looked at one another uncertainly, but had enough sense not to question Arcturus. All, but one.

“Then my Narcissa should be allowed to stay as well.” Druella said with clear irritation.

“Narcissa isn't politically minded.” the Patriarch said cool, sparing the woman a piercing look.

Druella and Narcissa both flushed, but didn't deny it. The matter was as good as closed, or at least he thought so, before his own daughter sprung a surprise on all of them.

“Druella should leave as well.” she pointed out dispassionately.

Cygnus barely constrained a chortle. Druella's eyes almost bulged out of her skull. Narcissa, Alphard noticed, looked at his daughter with ill-concealed resentment. He furrowed his brow, wondering how long had that look been present in her eye.

“I have to agree.” Pollux intruded gruffly, shocking Druellla into a stupor, just as she was about to argue against it. “Druella isn't politically minded either, but that's not the reason. Is it, Granddaughter?”

Alexa shot him a cold look as if to say 'just because we agree on this one thing, doesn't mean I like you one bit, old man'. Nonetheless, she nodded.

“This is a Black family meeting. Druella is not a Black, therefore she shouldn't be here.”

“My mother is a Black by marriage!” Narcissa exclaimed shrilly, her fists firmly pressing against her sides.

Alphard observed his niece curiously. She wasn't known for these types of outbursts. Alexa only spared her an uninterested glance. Interestingly enough, Bella's eyes were full of glee.

“By marriage, not by blood.” his daughter shrugged, looking distinctly bored. Walburga's brows were furrowed, but her husband Orion looked thoughtful.

“That is true. Druella is a Rosier, not a Black.”

The woman gaped like a fish. Alphard hid a smile as his daughter delivered the final blow.

“Toujours Pur.” she intoned serenely, looking straight into Orion's eyes.

A moment later, the man nodded. Her eyes then moved to Walburga who, very slowly and clearly hesitantly, did the same. Pollux and Cygnus nodded right after. When Bella did, both her sister and mother stared at her incredulously, but she either didn't see it or didn't care. Alphard nodded too, not because it was necessary, but just because he wanted too. After all those years of watching Druella snipe at his wife and then his daughter, he was enjoying himself immensely.

When everyone had agreed, Alexa looked to Arcturus.

“Grandpa?” she asked with a sweet smile. He threw her an unamused look, but nodded just the same.

“I accept you're reasoning. Druella and Narcissa will both leave.”

“But...” Druella sputtered indignantly. One, sharp glare from Arcturus had her closing her mouth, a dark blush now staining her face.

“My word is final. Leave, both of you.”

The two shared a look and rushed out of the room, both blushing in embarrassment from being dismissed in this way. He compared the smirk on his daughter's lips with the one gracing Bella's.

_Interesting._

It looked like his daughter was finally ready to stand up to Druella. Up to this point, she was passive, only giving as much as she got. Today for the first time she went on the offensive and it looked good on her. Going against Druella was impressive enough, but to go toe to toe with his father...Well, that's something even he and Cygnus backed away from sometimes. Something Walburga would never do. Alphard was proud to see his daughter stand up for herself.

“Now, Cygnus and Bella wanted to speak about something.” Arcturus nodded, indicating that they could speak.

Father and daughter shared a brief, nonverbal communication, then Bella turned to her family, eyes gleaming with excitement.

“Have you heard of Lord Voldemort?”

* * *

She was pacing back and forth, feeling her father's eyes bear down on her. She felt sick to her stomach. It was happening. Merlin, it was already happening. How was that even possible? She thought she would have more time than this.

_Well thank the gods I came back when I did. Things are turning to shit._

“Stop fretting, daughter.” Alphard said from his seat, a small smile gracing his lips. She threw her arms up.

“How can I? This cursed family is crumbling all around us! Have you seen Bella? She’s thinner every time I see her, there are dark circles under her eyes. Something is wrong. She’s miserable, I can tell!”

Father nodded, realizing she was right now that she mentioned it. The only time Bella looked anywhere close to content was when describing that secret political assembly she told them about in the end. Alexa grimaced, but held off on mentioning that part.

“Regulus and Sirius are hiding something.” she continued ranting, her sapphire eyes gleaming fiercely at the thought of her cousins being deceitful. “They seem to be drifting apart and they’re trying to keep me from finding out about it. Not to mention Andromeda and her entire mess…”

She trailed off, stopping herself once again from mentioning Riddle. Fortunately, her father’s attention was already elsewhere.

“And Narcissa?”

Alexa felt her lips twisting into a bitter smile. Her father was an observant man, especially when it came to her affairs. It’s as if he was finely tuned to pick up on everything she wanted him to miss.

“I’m sorry, Father. I tried, I really did, but… it seems Druella completely turned her against me.”

“I know you’ve done your best.” Alphard said warmly, knowing failure upset her severely. “Not everyone can be won over. Druella has been intervening in your relationship ever since you were an infant. It would be difficult to combat in any circumstance. The two of them are very close and… in many way, they’re similar.”

_Cold-hearted, prideful and jealous?_

Alexa just sighed, keeping her spiteful thoughts to herself. Narcissa was still his niece and she knew he cared about her. Not that she didn’t at all. She did, she wanted to, but it was just so bloody difficult. Narcissa made it difficult.

“I can’t believe I have succeeded with Bellatrix and failed with Narcissa.” she snorted in disbelief, making Alphard chuckle. He knew they had, to put it mildly, an adversarial relationship in her first life. Over the years she has dropped more than a few hints. “If only Druella didn’t-”

“Now, now. Let’s not point fingers more than necessary.” Father interrupted softly. “Narcissa is an adult now. Her mother poisoned her against you, that’s true, but at some point this excuse has to run out. Ultimately, she’s the one responsible for her own actions. You’ve given her more chances than I would’ve. Now it’s time to let go.”

“I know.” she admitted with a sigh. “After today, it will be even worse. This is the first time I’ve made a move against her.”

“Not against her, against Druella.” he corrected calmly, but she just scoffed.

“Is there a difference?”

“Probably not.”

“I hate this… giving her ammunition. Now she finally has a real reason to resent me, instead of the childishness she presented me with before.”

She felt Alphard’s eyes on her face, calm and searching.

“I’ve told you many times before, you have my blessing to fight back. Against Druella and anybody else who disrespects you.” he said honestly, giving her every assurance she needed at this very moment. “I won’t fault you if Narcissa becomes one of those people. If she’s been desperately searching for a reason to make you an enemy, she would’ve found one regardless of your own actions. We need to accept that.”

Alexa nodded. It’s not like she didn’t see the wisdom in his words. She thought about this before and reached similar conclusions. But there was something deep inside her that made her try even when she knew her efforts were doomed to fail.

“Last time... I’ve lost everybody I ever cared for.” she said quietly, knowing he would understand. Their eyes met for a long moment. Blue to gray. “I can’t lose anyone else.”

She could almost see the thoughts running behind his eyes, then slowly settling. Of course her father would understand. He knew her like the back of his own hand.

It was obvious, wasn’t it? She spent years watching every friend, family member and loved-one lose their lives in a pointless struggle for survival. She ended up with no one. Alone and broken. Desperate. But then, she had everything she wished for. A true family. Dysfunctional? Yes, but which family isn’t? That only made it more real, more genuine. Now that she had a real family again… it made her scared. If she lost them… she wasn’t sure she’d be able to survive it again.

“Then fight like hell to keep them, but only if they deserve it.” Alphard told her gently. His eyes were so soft and full of understanding, that her frustration started seeping away.

She made her way over to the sofa and sat next to him, allowing herself to get lost in thought for a moment. Arcturus should come to see them soon. He sent them to his office while the other guests were departing. No doubt Pollux took the chance to waste his time about something that displeased him during the meeting.

“I swore to keep this family safe and united.” she said quietly, looking over at her father’s pensive expression. “I feel like I’m failing already.

“Narcissa is still young, she can change her mind.” Father told her, reaching out to pat her hand in comfort. “Druella, as you so aptly reminded us, isn’t a Black.”

She laughed, seeing the teasing spark in his eyes. She could tell her father was immensely enjoying the sight of Druella being knocked down a peg. It was high time for the woman to reap what she has sown. She was done being passive. Pretending to be a gullible child just wouldn’t do anymore. Alexa was now older, stronger and confident that she could take her on.

“My father… is just a lost cause.” Alphard admitted, smiling crookedly. “No one expects you to win him over, princess. I’m confident we can handle the rest of our family. Arcturus and I will do what we can. It’s not your duty to babysit anyone. Just help us nudge them in the right direction.”

The deal she made with Arcturus haunted her to this very day. He kept his end of the bargain. He took care of Hepzibah Smith and the two Horcruxes, he trained her to the best of his abilities, he stood with her even against their family. He even brought her Harry’s wand. He protected her, challenged her. Hell, he even helped her sent Andromeda away from her family. It didn’t help much in the end, but still…

He did most of it with no questions asked. That had to mean he trusted her at least a little bit, right? Not to mention, he kept her secret for fifteen years already.

Alphard would’ve done the same, yes. In many ways he did, but that’s because he was her father and as such, he loved her with all of his heart. Arcturus was different. He did those things because he believed it would the best thing for their family. That was his only motivation and priority. But what if she couldn’t fulfill his expectations? Bella and Cygnus were already involved with Riddle.

“I should’ve never left.” she whispered heavily, looking down at her hands.

“That’s possible.” Alphard hummed, looking at his daughter out of the corner of his eye. He knew regret when he saw it. “It’s also possible that you would’ve been miserably the whole time.”

“But I could’ve prevented things from happening.”

“Or you could’ve made them worse.” he said kindly. “Remember what you told me about your reasons for performing the ritual?”

“I wanted a new life.” she repeated without hesitation.

“And does that new life necessitate changing every future outcome?”

She thought about it for a long moment, the thought twisting and turning it around her head. This question was the one that pained her the most. She couldn’t stop the war from happening. Short of killing Riddle herself, which she would never be able to do. But if the war did happen, like she anticipated it would… then what? Would she be able to change the outcome? And even if she could, what price would she have to pay for that to happen? No, that wasn’t what she wanted.

She came here to avoid fighting. To avoid killing and watching her loved-ones be killed. She couldn’t. Not again. Even thinking about it made her sick. The trauma of surviving one war… she would never allow herself to live this kind of life again.

But what did that leave her with? To do nothing would be to watch Muggleborns get slaughtered by thousands. She wasn’t technically a Muggleborn this time, but she still identified with them. Being a Pureblood didn’t suddenly make her adopt the ridiculous dogma of blood-purity. Could she really watch the Muggleborns get tortured and killed?

She knew her heart has hardened a lot since she was seventeen, but that… She wasn’t sure she would be able to live with herself. What point is there in a new life if you hate the person you have become?

Even if she decided to help the Muggleborns… that would mean standing against her own family. Her loyalty was now with House Black. She swore it. Most importantly, she believed it. They were her family. How could she betray Walburga, a woman who has raised her like she would her own daughter? Or Cygnus, the man who treated her like a princess, sometimes even putting her above his own children? Or Bella, a girl who has been nothing short of an older sister since the moment she first laid eyes on her?

Could she persuade them to abandon blood-purity, a belief so integral to their very being, that they would sacrifice their life, morality and freedom to protect it? Obviously, that was impossible. No matter how much they loved her. They loved Andromeda too, but that didn’t stop them from abandoning her when she challenged that deep-rooted belief. She had no reason to think she would be any different.

So where did that leaver her? Let history run its course and live with the guilt? Stand with her family against everything she used to believe in? Abandon everyone she cared about in this life? And for what? For people who weren’t even born yet? Break her promise to Arcturus, who had already done so much for her? It was an impossible choice.

“It doesn’t, but… I don’t see a good outcome, whatever I do… or don’t do.”

“If there isn’t a good outcome, then choose the least bad outcome.” Alphard advised calmly, aware of the inner turmoil blazing inside his daughter. “For now, give yourself time to decide.”

Alexa huffed, growing frustrated again.

“Doing nothing is a choice too.”

“So it is, but what other choice can you make right now? Do you regret the choices you’ve made so far? You say, you should’ve never left here. But what would’ve changed if you had stayed?

Damn, her father knew how to ask a pointed question. She had a feeling Alphard was leading her right to the conclusion she needed to arrive at and doing an expert job of it.

“I thought I’d be able to keep an eye on them, but the letters and holiday visits weren’t enough.” she shook her head in annoyance. “If I was here, Sirius and Regulus would’ve never fallen out. I’d make sure Bella is taken care of. Andromeda… I don’t know but I would’ve tried something!”

“You already have and it didn’t work.” he reminded her patiently, ignoring the scowl she made immediately after. “Some things are just meant to be, princess.”

“I don’t believe in destiny, Father.”

“Neither do I.” he said lightly, coaxing a smile out of her. “If you want to help them, you need to help yourself first, princess.”

“And what does that mean?” she asked, feeling a bit defensive. Alphard smiled sadly, reaching out to hold her hand.

“You’re always putting on a brave face. In all honesty, you’re probably the strongest person I know, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need a break sometimes. I remember how you were before we left for France. The restless nights, the nightmares. How you jumped at the slightest sound, always on edge, ready for an enemy to attack.”

She deflated. He was right, of course he was. At first spending time with the Blacks felt like being surrounded by the enemy. With the exception of her father, of course. It took her years to stop seeing them that way, to separate the two and start seeing them as a real family.

Even still, she was never truly at peace here, in Britain. It took her a long time to deal with all of it, to process everything and adjust to this new life. But then seeing Riddle in Diagon Alley… it was almost as if she was transported to the day of her arrival in 1958. All of the progress she has made was suddenly gone. It shook her. More than she was ready to admit at the time. Now…

“I almost had a panic attack that day.” she murmured shyly, her eyes pinned to the floor. Alphard only nodded, he knew that already.

It was one of the reasons he offered her to move. Seeing her in such distress was the straw the broke the camel’s back. She needed time to be well, to decompress and live on her own terms without worrying about what’s to come. Living in France allowed her the time and peace necessary to become stronger and more… balanced.

“You needed to do this for yourself.” he said simply, knowing that after fifteen years together, she would hear him without it being necessary for him to spell everything out. “You’re now so much stronger, princess. You could take on the whole world with the amount of fire that’s in you.”

She smiled. Her father’s faith in her never wavered for a moment. Even when hers did.

“Fine, you’re right.” she admitted with feigned reluctance, making him chuckle. “No more questioning myself. It was necessary to leave, just like it is now necessary to come back.”

“That’s my girl.” he said proudly, squeezing her hand before letting go of it. “Nobody is perfect. Just do your best.”

“I will.” Alexa nodded in acceptance, already feeling quite relieved after this conversation.

A few minutes later Arcturus came back, having relieved himself from Pollux’s clutches. She knew the conversation didn’t go well, when he went straight for the whiskey, without sparing them as much as a glance. Alexa shared an amused look with her father.

“So what’s the news, Grandpa?”

The fact that Arcturus didn’t even reprimand her for using that term now that they were alone, told her more than enough about the state of his mood. He swallowed a big gulp of alcohol before responding.

“Pollux insists that a betrothal should be arranged for you as soon as possible.”

She jolted. This again? The topic was discussed twice over during the meeting. He brought it up again? Some push-back wasn’t unexpected, but this insistence… it smelled fishy.

“That reeks of Druella.” her father said, once again impressing her with his ability to mirror her thoughts exactly. “They must’ve spoken about this before.”

Arcturus took a seat, a second drink already in hand.

“Druella was the one who insisted on rushing Narcissa’s and Andromeda’s marriages. Probably for this very reason.”

Alexa narrowed her eyes, an old letter swimming into her mind fluidly. Both men noticed the look of anger on her face.

“Druella and Narcissa planned it together.” she said, clenching her teeth. “Regulus wrote me a letter once after learning from Narcissa that Cygnus wanted Andromeda to come back to Britain and start her Courtship with Nott.”

“But Cygnus wasn’t the one who brought it up?” Alphard asked, directing the question at Arcturus. “Are you certain?”

“Quite. Cygnus told me himself how Druella was apparently inconsolable, missing her daughter terribly.”

Alexa made quite an unladylike sound that would’ve gotten her into detention at Beauxbatons. It was preposterous. Out of all her daughters, Dromeda was easily Druella’s least favourite. They fought quite frequently. If they weren’t fighting, they were ignoring each other.

“Regulus wouldn’t lie to me.” she said with absolute certainty. “But Narcissa would have no qualms about lying to him. She knew if she told him, Reggie would tell me. They wanted us to blame Cygnus for trying to marry off his daughters as soon as possible. Meanwhile, it was all Druella’s plot to have an upper hand against me.”

_Fucking cunt._

Judging from the look on her father’s face, he concurred with her assessment. Alexa could hardly believe it. That would mean Narcissa has been scheming with her mother for much longer than she anticipated. Sure, there was a chance she didn’t know why Druella asked her to deceive Regulus, but how big of a chance? They were like two peas in a pod.

_That scheming little..._

“What have you told him?” Alphard asked, his voice breaking through her anger easily. She turned to look at Arcturus.

“That I will personally consider any inquiries made.”

Alphard sighed heavily, hearing this response. She tilted her head quizzically.

“What’s the problem? No one will make an offer. You two scared everyone off already.”

“I’m sure Druella will handle that as well.” Father told her bitterly. “One mention at a luncheon with the society ladies and it will be an open secret that we’re looking to secure a betrothal for you. Offers will flood in.”

“They would’ve anyway.” Arcturus pointed out reasonably. “Plenty of the Old Families are invited to Dromeda’s wedding. It is the first time you will be presented in our society. I imagine we will receive plenty of letters after the party.”

“I can skip the party.” she said quickly. “I’ll go to the ceremony and then pretend I’m sick.”

“Really? Her father quirked a brow curiously. “You would voluntarily skip Andromeda’s wedding reception?”

Her shoulders sagged.

“No.” she muttered resignedly.

“It wouldn’t matter. The guests would see you during the ceremony and that would be enough.”

“Then maybe I can go to the party and act like a fool?” she proposed with a teasing smile. As she suspected, Arcturus narrowed his eyes dangerously.

“Bringing shame to our House is not one of the options for you. Even if you acted the fool, it wouldn’t stop families from offering for you.”

“What? Why?” she questioned, surprised by his statement.

“Because you’re beautiful.” Arcturus said curtly.

Her mouth dropped open. A compliment from Arcturus came as often as rain to the desert. Once or twice he praised her on her combat skills or quickly mastering a new spell. Never in fifteen years, did he say anything about her appearance. Not to mention his tone! Like it was the most obvious thing in the world!

“Don’t look so shocked, princess.” Alphard laughed. “I know for a fact you have a mirror in your room.”

This was just too much. She felt a telling warmth spreading around her cheeks. Were they trying to embarrass her? Yes, she did have a mirror and she looked into it often enough to know she was quite attractive. How couldn’t she be when she had a persistent House Elf pampering her like some sort of society wife. But to hear Arcturus say it… well, that was a novelty. As her initial shock passed, a more important part of his statement caught her to attention.

“So I can be an idiot as long as I look good enough?”

“More or less. As long as you have manners.” Father told her with a smile full of pity. She sighed. “Our family name is enough for you to have your pick of the crop.”

_Fucking Purebloods._

She knew it was the twentieth century but still… Sometimes they treated women like they were only there to stand around doing nothing, looking dolled up and demure, popping out one baby after another. Not in her life.

“So what can I do?”

“Nothing.” Arcturus wasn’t one to beat around the bush. “I will give you as much time as I can, but you have to understand that it won’t be forever. Sooner or later, you will have to find a suitable match.”

She knew what he meant by ‘suitable match’. A member of the Sacred-Twenty Eight. Alexa struggled to keep hold of her temper. Blowing up wouldn’t impress Arcturus very much. She would rather that he saw her point of view. Arcturus was an intelligent man, he could be won over by logic.

“Aunt Cassiopeia never married.”

“She is barren. It is a know fact.”

Her eyes widened. If it was a know fact, then it was never known to her.

“What about your daughter?" she challenged shrewdly, but Arcturus looked unperturbed.

“Lucretia is also unable to carry due to an illness she suffered as a child. We only found out after she married Ignatius.”

 _Or maybe_ _it’s_ _all of the incest in the family_ , she thought bitterly, but didn’t dare to say it out loud. Arcturus would probably flay her and it was a sore subject for everyone. Especially since Orion and Walburga were pretty closely related and had trouble conceiving for nearly a decade.

The Black family was littered with Squibs and couples with fertility issues. Why they never connected that to marrying their fellow cousins, baffled her to this day.

“If worst comes to worst, we can declare you barren as well.” Alphard proposed gently, already knowing it would annoy her.

“I don’t need to declare squat!” she seethed, proving him correct. “It’s a personal choice and none of anybody’s damn business!”

“You don’t have to decide right now.” Arcturus reminded her calmly.

“Your mother and I were arranged to be married. I like to think it came out pretty well.” Father told her with a smile. “Maybe you’ll find that too.”

Yes, maybe she would, by some miracle, fall in love with an Old Family Pureblood and then get to marry him, but what were the chances?  
“If you choose a respectable man and have a son with him, I will name him my Heir.” Arcturus declared confidently, causing Alphard’s brows to fly up.

That was a huge offer to make. Once the Family Paterfamilias dies, the Heir automatically assumes the title. To promise her son the role of an Heir before he was even conceived… So many things could happen that would make this a terrible idea. Her potential son could be sick or Magically weak, or a terrible leader. Not to mention, he would have to strip Sirius of the title which would, quite understandably, piss off Orion and Walburga.

“Why?” she asked, unable to keep the suspicion from her voice. Arcturus looked her straight in the eye.

“I’m giving you an incentive.”

After thinking about it for a few seconds, she decided to drop it for now. At least she knew where she stood. Arcturus wanted her to get married and have children, but that didn’t mean that she would. Appeasing Pollux was the last thing on her to-do list right now.

When push came to shove, she’d have to make her stand, but for now… let them run around like chickens with their heads cut off. If Purebloods wanted to push their sons onto her, let them try. She’d enjoy showing them what they were signing up for.

* * *

August 3rd 1974

The past hour was about the worst since she woke up in Saint Mungo’s. Holding Andromeda while she sobbed hysterically, trying to explain everything that has happened while choking on her tears, was almost unbearable. She tried to calm her at first, but in the end she just allowed her to let it all out, providing silent support.

After a while, her cousin’s cries softened before finally melting away into sniffling and hiccuping. It took another twenty minutes for Andromeda to settle down enough to have a conversation. Daisy brought tea, considerately spiking it with a mild Calming Drought that Alexa brewed from her Godmother’s recipe. It turned out Cassiopeia had an array of potions on hand for guests, that she was more than happy to share with her favorite Goddaughter. If Andromeda picked up on the secret ingredient to her herbal tea, she didn’t mention it.

“I’m sorry I made you come back…” Andromeda sniffled, putting down her teacup with a shaking hand. “I know you loved it in France.”

“That doesn’t matter anymore.” Alexa assured her gently, squeezing her free hand in a comforting gesture. “I loved France, but I also love you. You’re like a sister to me, Dromeda. I wouldn’t leave you to deal with this on your own.”

The girl nodded, slowly drying her eyes with a tissue.

“I’ve been thinking about telling Cissa…”

“Don’t.” she said sharply, surprising her cousin with how adamant she sounded. “She would rat you out to Druella in a heartbeat. Just trust me on this.”

Andromeda sighed heavily.

“Fine. It’s not like she could help anyway.”

“And I can?” Alexa asked carefully, still unsure as to what was expected of her. Dromeda looked away for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. Then she took another sip of her tea.

“I don’t know. I just… need someone to talk to. Otherwise, I feel like I’d go insane.”

She accepted that answer without comment. Sometimes she felt like that too. She had no idea how she would survive all this time without her father’s unwavering support. Telling him the truth was the best decision she’s ever made and she had Arcturus to thank for that.

“How far along are you?”

“Three weeks now.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Dromeda blushed prettily, pushing a strand of dark, brown hair behind her ear. “It was only once…”

Alexa smiled sadly. Maybe her father was right. Maybe some things were just meant to be.

“I thought about making the potion… you know, THE potion.” Andromeda admitted, looking down at the floor. She seemed ashamed of even thinking about it. “But I couldn’t. It’s his too and… I want it. I want to have Ted’s child.”

If Andromeda wanted to be absolved of her perceived sins, Alexa couldn’t provide that. Not just because she didn’t think it was wrong, but also because only Dromeda could forgive herself. Truth to be told, if she were in her cousin’s place, she would’ve considered it too. It was a way out, definitely. But if Andromeda already decided against it, she had no right to question that choice.

“Did you and Brighton…?” Alexa asked meaningfully, prompting Dromeda to huff.

“Of course not. I barely know the man and he’s so… stiff.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem.” she mocked, rolling her eyes. Surprisingly enough, Dromeda erupted into giggles.

“Maybe YOU have something to tell me about, cousin?”

“Nothing at all.” Alexa answered in a deadpan, then sipped on her tea for a moment. Their mood quickly turned somber again. “What do you plan to do? It won’t be pretty. Our family will disown you. Money shouldn’t be a problem, Father will help you, but-”

“What are you talking about?” Andromeda interrupted, visibly taken-aback. “Why would they do that?”

Alexa stared at her for a moment, not even blinking. Maybe the full gravity of this predicament hasn’t fully hit her yet? She took a deep breath, readying herself.

“You can’t get out of this scot-free, Dromeda.” she finally said, trying to be as gentle as possible. “When you cancel the wedding-”

“I’m not canceling it.” Andromeda exclaimed, shaking her head in denial. “I’m still marrying Brighton.”

To say that she was shocked would be an understatement. Her jaw was about to hit the floor. That’s… that’s not at all what she expected at all. In her first life Andromeda married Ted. So why…?

“So what are you going to do?” she asked incredulously.

“I need you to help me fool Brighton into thinking it’s his child.” Dromeda pleaded, her eyes filling with desperation. Alexa felt her eyes widen.

“What about Ted? I thought you loved him?”

“I do.” she said, a grief-stricken look appearing on her face. “But I can’t… I have to protect my child. I won’t allow it to be a bastard, hated and spat on, branded a Blood-Traitor… I need to protect my baby!”

“You could marry Ted…” Alexa suggested, feeling her head spin from the implications of this conversation. Andromeda’s brows knit together in a frown.

“And lose all of my family? I can’t, you know I can’t.”

“You wouldn't lose me or my father. We would help you.”

“I know.” Dromeda smiled sadly. “That’s why I trust you with this. But think about it. We would never be able to be seen together in public. If you asked your father to help me financially, he would have to do it behind everybody’s back. My parents would disown me. Bella and Narcissa would never forgive me. This way… everything will stay the same. I won’t lose anyone.”

“Except for the man you love.” she cautioned, worry for her cousin’s well-being gripping her heart. “Can you handle that? Can you live in a loveless marriage with a man you don’t even particularly like? Can you give up Ted forever?”

“I will have his child.” Dromeda said firmly.

“But will that be enough?” Alexa insisted. She saw the tears swimming in her cousin’s eyes.

“It will have to be.”

* * *

They spent a long time coming up with a plan. Alexa had… reservations, to say the least. The major one being: What the fuck happened? She couldn’t come to terms with this change.

Sure, Andromeda would be able to keep her family now. That, at least, was a good thing. But the price…? Now that she was irrevocably in love with Ted Tonks, she would have to sacrifice their relationship. Would she be miserable? Her feelings about Brighton Nott seemed… ambivalent at best. At least there would still be Nymphadora. Andromeda wouldn’t lose her.

Alexa wondered what would happen to the young woman she once knew. How would a Pureblood upbringing influence the clumsy Auror? She would be Nymphadora Nott, not Tonks. Would that make her any different? Would she still end up with Remus? Because if she did, that would leave them with the exact same problem they were in now, only a generation later. She didn’t even want to think about it now. Andromeda has already decided. There was no point in playing what-ifs.

By the end of their conversation Alexa had a monster of a headache. Now that she was in a tizzy, Dromeda’s Slytherin side was coming out. She already had a good idea of what she wanted to do. There was only a week left til her wedding night. Children born a month early weren’t that abnormal. Sure, she would have to be careful while at the hospital to avoid the staff saying something incriminating, but beyond that… There wasn’t much that could give her away.

Looks could always be ascribed to some family member. Short of red, every hair color was present in Dromeda’s immediate family. Knowing that her daughter would likely turn out to be a Metamorphmagus, eased Alexa’s worries in that respect. When she mentioned that Brighton might want to be involved in the pregnancy, like attending her medical exams, Dromeda laughed it off. Apparently, it was very atypical in the Pureblood culture.

There were some ways, mostly old spells that could betray someone’s ancestry. Alexa made a mental note to question Arcturus about the ones he used upon first meeting her. If they were lucky, no suspicion would be raised and no one would have a reason to try and verify it. Either way, better safe than sorry.

Neither Alexa nor Andromeda questioned the morality of the situation. At least not aloud Brighton Nott would be raising someone else’s child and hopefully, live a happy life without knowing about it. They were both willing to ignore it in favor of Andromeda’s perseverance.

But even with most of the logistics settled, the question remained. Why? What has changed? Was it her? This time Nymphadora would be born two years later. It made sense in a way. Andromeda and Ted met years later than they should’ve. In France, Dromeda came to terms with the fact that she would have to marry a man chosen by her family.

Maybe that didn’t happen last time? It wouldn’t surprise her. After all, in her first life Andromeda married very soon after finishing school. Like she was just aching to leave it all behind and escape. This time a different escape was provided. Was that it?

Additionally, she’d never hear of Andromeda breaking off an engagement. So maybe she wasn’t yet engaged then? No pending wedding would leave her with one less obstacle to overcome, making it easier to leave. Maybe if she did have a wedding in two weeks time, she would’ve made the same choice even then?

In this world, Andromeda became pregnant before leaving her family, not after. Now, she knew that it wasn’t only her head under the guillotine. There was a very physical manifestation of potential ramifications, growing in her belly. Because the child she now carried would suffer the same consequences of her actions. She had to be careful.

Alexa couldn’t help but feel regretful. Was it all her fault? Was it the universe punishing her for trying to interfere? She wanted to make it better, but in the end… What was more important? A family or a partner? Could such a thing even be measured? Did she make it worse? Better? Or was it simply different?

What if Andromeda came to love Brighton Nott? That could happen. She told herself that Alphard and Lysette were very happy together. Or was that simply the guilt talking?

Andromeda deserved to have everything, a loving husband and a supportive family on top of that. She shouldn’t have to lose anyone. Not her love and not her sisters. There was only one way to achieve that. Brighton Nott would have to die for that to happen. Only then would Andromeda be free to pursue her real love. In secret, of course. But wouldn’t that be better than the alternative?

She looked at her cousin with an assessing eye. Andromeda was willing enough to let her husband live a lie, but that was several steps short of killing him. Several, humongous steps. But Andromeda was a Slytherin and a Black. She must’ve thought about this solutions, if even for a moment. It was pretty obvious.

As far as she knew Brighton was the victim in all of this, but he wouldn’t be the first victim to die by her hand. Should she mention it to Dromeda? Should she offer? Didn’t she owe her as much, for getting involved in the first place?

She said nothing. Andromeda would never agree to it anyway and, even after every horrible thing she has done during the war, she liked to think of herself as someone who considered murder to be the last resort. No, she wouldn’t get involved. Not any more than Andromeda asked of her. She has meddled enough already. Maybe her father was right after all. Perhaps the world should be left to its own devices.

* * *

August 3rd 1974

Apparently Gringotts hadn’t changed much in the span of fifty years. The inside of the bank looked exactly like she remembered from 1998. Later, she was unable to visit for obvious reasons. No Mudblood was allowed in public spaces. That included banks, schools and even the streets.

Today, they barely entered the vast, marble hall before a Goblin rushed to them, bowing so low he nearly tripped over his own feet in haste.

“Your Lordship! Welcome! Welcome!” he exclaimed, obsessively smoothing out his uniform. “It’s always wonderful to see you! Who is the young lady?”

Alexa concealed a smile. She’s never seen such a reverent Goblin before. Then again, she never entered Gringotts with the escort of the Black Paterfamilias. Needles to say, Muggleborns had an entire different experience in the bank. Like they did in every part of the magical world.

“This is Alphard’s daughter, Alexandrine. We will be entering her vault today.”

_Just my vault? So whatever he wants to show me is already in MY vault?_

“Of course! Of course! Follow me, your Lordship, Lady Black!”

As always she was impressed by the Goblin’s ability to stay up to speed with the developments on the outside. Even though she never visited her vault before, she knew just like the Goblin apparently did, which one belonged to her. After her mother passed away the Selwyn vault and its resources became entirely hers to command.

She never touched any of the money. Her father usually covered all of her small expenses. Now that she thought about it, she never really treated herself to anything expensive, even though she was pretty rich. How rich? She had no idea so when Arcturus announced that her presence was required at Gringotts, she happily agreed to come. As curious as she was to find out why he wanted her to come, she knew it’s no use asking before he was ready to tell her.

Since this was her first time opening the vault she had to give the Goblins her key and her wand to provide a means for future verification. The Selwyns were one of the Old Families so many of the same security measures were used to those she remembered from… her last visit. Even years later, she flinched upon seeing the Thief’s Downfall.

It turned out the Selwyn vault was even deeper than the Lestrange one, which surprised her quite a bit. She should probably learn more about her own family, now that she thought about it. The Selwyns in France were not exactly receptive when she and Alphard first appeared.

Lysette didn’t leave behind any immediate family. She was an only child and her parents were already dead when she came to Britain. Lysette’s uncle… well, he wasn’t a person Alexa wanted to spend her time with. As far as the other side of her family was concerned, there wasn’t much there.

As her guardian Alphard had access to her vault, but only until she reached the age of majority. So she wasn’t surprised that the vault was in great shape, well cared-for and meticulously organized. No, what made her pause in the entrance was the sheer size of it.

The Selwyn vault was three times the size of the Lestrange one. There were no stacks of coins inside, only rows and rows of large chests and antique coffers. Tall shelving units lined the walls, some of them with drawers, but many open, with heirlooms and artifacts filling the space to the brim. She looked from side to side, eyes wide, trying to take it all in.

_Holy fuck I’m rich!_

“Where did all of that come from?” she asked in awe, walking inside hesitantly. Arcturus followed her, while the Goblin hovered politely by the door.

“Most of it is the Selwyn money. In their prime, they were one of the richest Pureblood families in the country. They took most of their gold to France, but everything that was left is now yours.” Arcturus enlightened her, wearing an impassive expression. Somehow she had a feeling, that this amount of money made more of an impression on him than he was willing to admit. “Additionally, your mother received a big inheritance from her family in France, including a third of her grandparents’ wealth. She was also the sole inheritor to both of her parents and her Godmother. Now all of that belongs to you.”

_Damn._

So everything the British Selwyns owned plus a healthy portion of what the French Selwyns had. No wonder her uncle didn’t like her. She probably had more money from the French side than he did, even though he was born there. That might grate on a persons nerves. Especially since she’d have more than enough with what the Selwyns left in Britain in the first place.

“Wait, you said it’s ‘mostly’ the Selwyn money. What else is there?” she asked, catching onto the phrasing after the initial bewilderment passed. Arcturus nodded in approval.

“A trust fund from the main, Black Family vault and a steady stream of profits that Alphard established for you from a portion of his personal investments.”

“So Father is still giving me more money?” Alexa exclaimed disbelievingly. “Why? I don’t need any! I probably have more than he does!”

“You definitely do.” Arcturus said, his lips twitching in amusement. “That is something to take up with your father. Though I think we both know that whatever you say, will not dissuade him.”

She scowled and turned towards the Goblin.

“How often does my father transfer money into this vault?”

“A bigger sum once year from his business account and monthly allowance from his personal one.” the Goblin told her without hesitation.

“You know that without checking?” she questioned, quite impressed. The Goblin just smiled.

“I’ve served the Black Family for many years, Lady Black.”

Alexa just nodded, accepting his answer easily. Goblins were one of the most shrewd Creatures in the magical world and they tended to have a good head for numbers.

“My father is crazy.” she murmured, bringing a glint of amusement to Arcturus’ pewter gray eyes. “Monthly allowance, too? Why would I need all of this money?”

“You either get it now or after he’s dead.” the Black Patriarch told her with his usual bluntness. “You know as well as I do that Alphard will leave you everything he has.”

She sighed. As much as she didn’t want to think about that, she knew it’s probably the truth. That was often the case with what Arcturus said. He was a master at making you confront the thoughts that you wanted to confront the least.

For a while Alexa walked around the room, peeking here and there. Some artifacts looked really interesting, but she didn’t dare touch them right now. Knowing the Blacks, some of the would have pretty nasty Curses on them and the Selwyns… well, their affiliations were a bit more dubious.

The coffers were mostly overflowing with Galleons. Some smaller chests contained jewelry or other smaller, but no less valuable family heirlooms. She took the opportunity to chose something for Dromeda’s wedding.

Her dress was already made while in France and although she had plenty of trinkets at home, due to her family’s generosity, it wouldn’t hurt to look. In the second jewelry chest, she found a beautiful pair of earrings made out of a glistening, white gold. She liked them, because they were simple and elegant. They would match her favorite bracelet perfectly.

It was made out of the exact same ore and had a similar pattern. That bracelet was her first Christmas gift from Cygnus, just a few weeks after she was born. At first she thought it was ridiculous to give something so expensive to an infant, but with time she came to cherish the memory.

That Christmas was the only one she got to spend with her mother. The enchanted music box she received that day from Lysette was now standing on top of her vanity at the Chateau. The white winter coat with fur that she received from Walburga served her well for many years since the garment was charmed to grow along with her body. The pony from Alphard was still in the stables and Cygnus’ bracelet was on her wrist every day, even now.

After perusing her possessions she picked up her navy blue, velvet pouch and filled it with a handful of gold. That would be more than enough until Christmas, since she didn’t fancy spending her fortune in Hogsmead. Not that she could if she even tried.

During her inspection, Arcturus also seemed to be looking for something. She didn’t call him out on it, but eventually he stopped, apparently having located what he needed to find. Finally, her curiosity got the best of her.

“What did you want to show me?”

“Leave us alone for a moment.” Arcturus commanded in a voice filled with certainty that his order would be fulfilled without delay. Of course, it was. The Goblin bowed and left the vault, closing the door behind him. “It is something of importance.”

She watched as Arcturus approached on of the shelves and picked up a medium-sized chest. It was a beautiful piece work made out of some antique-looking wood. He placed it on the table.

“I wasn’t sure where it was. Since I don’t have access to your vault, the Goblins put it here in my stead.” Arcturus told her, knowing she would’ve noticed him looking around the place earlier.

“What else is inside?”

Arcturus didn’t answer, merely shifted his gaze towards the wooden chest. Alexa sighed.

_Cryptic bastard._

Gently, she undid the latches and opened the top. She gasped at the sight that awaited her inside.

“Why?” Alexa choked out, staring at the contents. His voice was very cool and matter-of-fact.

“You didn’t really think I wouldn’t recognize them, did you? If so, you were being foolish.”

“You lied to me.” she whispered disbelievingly, her eyes filling with accusation as she looked up at the Black Patriarch. Arcturus’ face was unreadable.

“They’re still at Gringotts and they’re still safely hidden.” he said, showing absolutely no remorse. “We’re the only people who know about their continued existence.”

Alexa didn’t even have it in her to scream at him, she was so disturbed by this discovery.

_I should’ve known he’d never give up something so valuable. He’s right. I am a fool._

In front of her lay Salazar Slytherin’s Locket and the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back!  
> I am so happy to be able to post a new chapter. Unfortunately, my computer broke down half-way through and everything got deleted ;((( It took some time to get my trusty machine fixed and write everything from scratch. That's the reason for the delay. Not to mention, exams are catching up to me and I don't know how reliably I'll be able to write for the next two weeks.
> 
> I think it's important to tell you what the underlying purpose of this chapter is. Recently, I've been getting the impression that some of my readers have misconceptions about certain characters, the most important of those being the main character. We can't have that, can we? ;) If one or two people misunderstand me, then yeah maybe they're not paying enough attention. But it wasn't just one or two and that makes me feel like I've done a bad job conveying Alexa's purpose and motivation in this story. I wanted to correct that in this chapter.
> 
> I understand that Hermione getting thrown back in time to fix the future is a trope. Because of that, you might automatically assume that she will try to do the same here. That is NOT the case. Hermione wanted to escape a war, not get involved in another one. Ideally she would have nothing to do with the Death Eaters/Order of Phoenix business. She hoped to appear in a completely different world. Unfortunately for her, this world is very similar to the one she knew and being reborn as a Black basically ensures that she will have to be involved in some capacity. That does NOT mean that she is trying to stop the future from happening or play the hero.  
> Please note, that she has been completely avoiding confrontation, going as far as to escape the country altogether. Trying to change Andromeda's life was for the sake of Andromeda, not anyone else. Hiding the Horcruxes was the only thing that could be remotely construed as getting involved, but she only did that to "minimize" the horror of the future, not eradicate it. In fact, she is petrified of landing in the middle of a war once more. She is too traumatized and scared to go against Voldemort again.
> 
> Also, let us remember that Alexa/Hermione is making a conscious effort to separate the people from her first life with those in her second. In many cases, they ARE different. Her presence and actions will and have changed the people around her. Her loyalty is not with the people she once knew. They are either strangers now or haven't even been born. She is loyal to the Blacks now and not only because she made that promise to Arcturus. The Blacks aren't just "those evil Pureblood bigots" anymore, they are not strangers or enemies. They are the people she spent her holidays with, the people playing with her when she was a child. They ARE her family and loved-ones. She loves them, she spent years with them, she grew up among them. They deserve her loyalty like any family would and she won't just throw them under the bus willy-nilly.  
> Don't get me wrong, the Blacks' flaws won't be washed away, clearly not. She will have moments of doubt, seeing some people she knew in the future will definitely shake her. This dilemma will follow her to the very end. It is an integral part of the story! Purebloods and Muggleborns. Death Eaters and the Order. But this time, her friends and loved-ones are on the other side.
> 
> I want everyone to understand those things, otherwise the choices Alexa makes later, will make no sense to you. I am NOT speaking about what will happen in the story. Im talking about Hermione's mindset and motivations.  
>   
> The conversation between Alexa and Alphard is a very important part of this chapter for all of you who have trouble understanding the concepts I just mentioned. There are other misapprehensions that need to be corrected, but I don't want to get off on another tangent :) Those of you who had questions about Ginny or Narcissa, should also find some answers in this chapter. Also, Arcturus is not some cuddly, benevolent Grandpa lol  
> He's not Alphard.
> 
> I don't want you to be scared to ask me questions or give your thoughts. Not at all! I love reading them! I really think this was a failure on my part, not yours. I should've been more precise. Hopefully, this chapter was more clear and understandable. Please bear with me, I am trying something new here ;)  
> Thank you all for reading! Cheers!


	10. Chapter 10

August 3rd 2001

As a Reductor Curse exploded right where she stood two seconds before, she flinched and slipped deeper into her hiding place. She had to skedaddle. If she was still here when they set up the anti-Disapparition wards, she would be royally screwed.

Let's say the life of bait wasn't exactly a piece of cake.

“Come out, come out wherever you are!” Amycus Carrow taunted, to the tune of his sister’s mad cackling.

Alecto sounded like a Bellatrix impersonator, as if she was trying to take the woman’s place after her untimely demise. This only confirmed in Hermione’s mind, that Alecto Carrow wasn’t playing with a full deck.

Then a burst of ominous, Magical Energy hit her like a ton of bricks, forcing the air out of her lungs. She saw three, red sparks above the tree line and nearly fainted on the spot from the feeling of overwhelming relief. Before she Disapparated, she heard three words, said in a grating, yet sibilant whisper.

“Where’s the Mudblood?”

* * *

August 3rd 1974

Seeing the would-be Horcruxes in Gringotts of all places was enough to make her sick. Retrieving the Cup was the stupidest thing she has ever done. In both of her lives. Easily. It was also one of the most spectacular and epic, but that didn't take away from the fact that the only reason she survived it was sheer, dumb luck. Today, after all of these years, the only thing the Locket did was remind her of Ron.

Specifically, all of his character flaws. The pigheadedness, pettiness, impulsiveness. How he was constantly and foolishly envious of Harry. The selfishness and immaturity most of all. In short, all of the things that made him and absolutely shit boyfriend.

It’s not like she was without flaws. Of course she was not. Her Gryffindor temper was one of them. The hardships of war and a strict, Occlumency training regimen were enough to reign in her temper most of the time, but not today.

So after absolutely blowing her top off in front of Arcturus, she came to visit Aunt Cassiopeia in hopes of soothing her nerves with some herbal tea. It helped with that, but didn’t do much in terms of sorting out her confusion.

Because, what the hell was she supposed to do with them? She didn’t want them! In fact, she’d die a happy person if she never had to hear the term “Horcrux” ever again. Of course, in hindsight it all made sense.

Of course Arcturus would recognize what they were. The Locket at least. Slytherin was wearing it in every damn portrait and drawing made of him. The Blacks were Sorted into his House as a matter of tradition. Obviously, the family Patriarch would be familiar with such imagery.

Not to mention, Arcturus was a thousand miles removed from being a fool. If the artifacts were important enough that she’d heard about them decades later, they were worth keeping just for that reason. Especially if someone was willing to commit murder and frame a House Elf to get them.

In her defense, she didn’t know much about Arcturus when she made that gamble. She knew there was a chance he’d recognize what the items were, but she assumed that the threat, she has made about the Black family line going extinct in a few decades would be enough to deter him from going against her. Apparently, it was not.

Then again, it was enough to make him place the items in her vault and not his. That must’ve been a precaution in case they turned out to be relevant to the well-being of their family later on. Otherwise, he would’ve just kept them for himself.

If she knew Arcturus as well as she did now, she would’ve made the same choice. Of course, he would be unwilling to leave such precious artifacts in the hands of the Goblins, but that was still preferable to allowing Riddle to have them, knowing how that ended up going.

When she happened upon Hepzibah Smith at her Godmother’s house, she panicked. In her confusion, she made a split second decision to intervene. At the time, it felt like the only option. Save Hokey the House Elf, take away two, potential Horcruxes away from Riddle.

Why wouldn’t she? The risk was there, of course. He could simply use different items. He could find out about their involvement, but if he did, that couldn’t turn out too badly. Not for anyone she cared about anyway. If Arcturus got killed then… there would be one less person who knew her secret.

Alexa didn’t regret how things turned out, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t frustrated at the moment. In fact, she was severely annoyed that Arcturus concealed the truth from her for such a long time. Honestly, fifteen years? He couldn’t have mentioned it ten years ago? Or even five?

In the end, she decided to let it go, at least for now. She had bigger fish to fry. Family drama had to take precedence.

* * *

August 4th 1974

Aunt Walburga was ruthless when it came to clothing. The woman’s sense of style was impeccable, but after two hours of shopping, Alexa was pretty sure she would soon have nightmares made out of organza.

The shopping trip was only made worse by the company. Of course, both Druella and Narcissa just had to tag along. Dromeda’s presence was the only saving grace when the two harpies teamed up to make her life miserable.

Whatever she decided to try on was apparently ghastly while Narcissa looked like a beautiful, spring rose in full bloom every single time. Coincidence? Probably not.

Her eternal conflict with Druella put a strain on the woman’s friendship with Walburga. The two weren’t as close as they used to be when she was first born. Walburga, just like most of their family, had quite a low tolerance for Druella’s attitude towards her. At this point, Walburga considered Alexa her adopted daughter and she had no problem reminding her “friend” of that very fact.

When one nasty comment went a bit too far, Walburga made it clear that she has had enough and their impromptu nightmare of a shopping trip quickly took a turn for the worst. Dromeda, forever being the family mediator, managed to smooth things out a bit, but the mood understandably soured.

So at that point Alexa decided that her closet was full enough and bolted from Twilfitt and Tattings with Daisy. Instead of coming straight home, she opted for visiting her favourite book store, Flourish and Blotts.

As a Pureblood she had to accept many things that she would balk at in her first life. House Elves were one of them. Some things she just couldn’t compromise. Their treatment for one. But as the years went by she had to embrace the art of compromise and learn when there’s time to push it and when she should simply let go.

She remembered asking Wispy if she would accept payment as a child and she would never make this mistake ever again. When she tried asking Rusty, he would suddenly and quite suspiciously, grow deaf. Daisy was a different case.

When she first arrived at the Chateau, she was still very young for a House Elf, so a few years into their relationship Alexa managed to break through her indoctrination and introduce a small, monthly payment into the equation. That Daisy used most of the money to buy her, Alphard and the other House Elves elaborate gifts for every occasion instead of buying something for herself, couldn’t be helped.

She was her personal House Elf, meaning that she took care of anything and everything in her immediate surroundings. Keeping her room tidy, serving drinks or snacks. Besides that, Daisy’s duties consisted of picking out her clothes and doing her hair or makeup when the occasion called for something more complicated than she was able to produce herself.

Sometimes, it still annoyed Alexa. She wasn’t sick, weak or disabled. She had fully functioning limbs, making her very much capable and willing to get herself a damn glass of water. Of course, it was nice to have someone cater to her every need, especially when she was sick. She would never deny that truth. After all, if she had to take on all of the responsibilities of a Pureblood, she might as well reap the benefits.

At the same time, she tried to make sure not to become too lazy or entitled about it. Good things are easy to get used to and expect, so making a conscious effort to overcome this entitlement was, in her opinion, an absolute must.

But concessions had to be made on that front. As a Black, she had to project a certain image. Speaking to her House Elf like an actual human being could be passed off as being overly polite, young or naive. Actively spending time with one could be deigned an oddity or a quirk. Weird? Yes, but still acceptable.

Paying one? Well, if anyone found out about THAT, all hell would break loose. So to maintain decorum in public, she allowed Daisy to do all of the things the blue-eyed Elf wanted to do, but was never allowed, because Alexa had… well, a sense of bloody decency. Today, that included carrying the stack of books she picked up at Flourish and Blotts.

If people saw her chatting with a House Elf, they might think her insane. Then again, she was a Black, so that might be precisely on brand.

“Do you think we should get some more of those salty treats?” she asked, looking at the exposition of a pet shop. “We have two packets left, don’t we?”

“No Miss, we have one. Snowball eats the other two days ago.” Daisy informed her in a sing-song voice.

Alexa hummed in affirmation. She should’ve know that already. Her Kneazle was an absolute glutton for anything fish-related. If it even passed by a fish from a mile away, he would eat it.

“Careful!” a male voice called out from behind her, causing Alexa to instinctively halt in her steps. “You’ll wet your feet, my Lady.”

She briefly looked down, noticing a negligible puddle in front of her feet. Maybe her shoes would’ve gotten a bit damp, but it was nothing to write home about. Still, it would only be polite to thank the man, so she turned to do just that and quickly faltered when saw the person she was talking to.

There wasn’t much that could’ve taken her aback as much as the sight of a young Lucius Malfoy. He had to be about twenty years of age right now and he looked… beautiful.

If there was ever a man that could be described as beautiful, it had to be Lucius. His hair was like a piece of art. Silky smooth, platinum blonde tresses ran down his back, possessing a shiny, lustrous quality that most women could only dream of.

Not a single hair out of place. Not a piece of lint on his elegant, black robes and crisp, white shirt. He looked every bit as regal as she remembered, despite being much more youthful. His features reminded her very much of his son.

From the harsh lines of his nose and cheekbones, to the pointed face shape and pale complexion. Especially the cool, silver grey eyes which were almost identical to Draco’s. Even their facial expressions were eerily similar. But while his son came off as haughty, smug and pretentious, Lucius appeared more… cold, imperious and unapproachable, while still maintaining the trademark Malfoy arrogance, of course.

But the expression on Lucius’ face as she turned was one she’d never seen or even wished to see on Draco’s. A brief look of surprise flickered in his eyes, morphing into interest for a split second. He appeared… impressed.

She didn’t really like that. Not at all.

“If only they could speak, I’m sure they would express their appreciation… my Lord.” Alexa told him in a bland tone, making sure her face was as impassive as possible. In fact, she was already Occluding. It was all she could do to keep herself from freaking out.

“But you, my Lady, will not?”

Lucius raised his brows just a bit, not bothering to hide surprise at her attitude. Once again, she had to conceal her annoyance behind her Occlumency when she felt a cool, foreign presence brushing against her mental shields. Usually, she would keep up the social convention, but this time she was dancing the tango with a Death Eater. So she dropped the pretence to call him out.

“That won’t do you any good, my Lord.”

As quickly as the biting comment was made, she ejected him from her mind. Lucius blinked, a bit dazed from the forceful push. Then, very slowly, his lips morphed into a smile.

“I can see that. Very impressive, my Lady.”

Alexa quirked a brow, doing her best impression of Arcturus.

“How do you know I’m a Lady? Maybe I’m just a regular citizen...my Lord?”

Lucius chuckled, his whole face relaxing as he did. She was surprised to see that his amusement was genuine. In her first life she has never heard him laugh like that. She probably hasn’t even seen him smile. Not genuinely anyway. It made him look more… approachable.

“I can recognize a Lady when I see one.” he asserted confidently, his face taking on that haughty look that she knew so well from his future son. “Lady…?”

The questioning note went entirely ignored. She wasn’t willing to let him off the hook so easily.

“Was that what you were trying to find out?”

Young Lucius was definitely less rigid than the one she remembered. A charming smile brightened his features, a spark of playfulness lighting up in his eyes.

“I apologize for my curiosity, my Lady.”

“Curiosity killed the cat, Lord Lucius.”

His expression turned to one of intrigue.

“So you know of me… my Lady?”

“I can recognize a Malfoy when I see one.” she shot back, smirking and the man chuckled at her response.

“Touché.” Lucius admitted easily, his smile turning into a teasing one. “Now, do I have to do more grovelling or will you give me the honour of your name?”

Alexa couldn’t help it, she laughed at that. The mental image of Lucius Malfoy doing anything that even resembled grovelling would’ve been hilarious to see. She was sorely tempted.

“Narcissa may have mentioned you… once or twice.” Alexa taunted and then turned towards Daisy, who was starting to fidget under the weight of all of those books. “Go back to the Chateau and put those away, please.”

“Yes, Miss! Right away!” Daisy nodded eagerly, looking relieved and quickly popped away.

Alexa mentally chastised herself for not doing that sooner. When she looked back at Lucius, she found him peering at her face with startling intensity.

“How well do you know my intended?”

Deciding that she’s had enough fun at his expense, she took pity on the man and said:

“Very well, like I do all of my cousins.”

To his credit, understanding dawned on him immediately. A second after the revelation, a smile tilted the edge of his lips once again.

“Narcissa has mentioned you as well, Lady Alexandrine.”

“In glowing terms, I hope?” she questioned mockingly, prompting him to chuckle again.

“Of course.” Lucius bowed his head politely, amusement strong in his voice. “Congratulations on your return to the country, Lady Alexandrine. We are all overjoyed.”

His grey eyes somehow fell into contact with hers and for a moment they simply looked at each other. It was unnerving how good looking the man was. If she wasn’t so well-versed in Occlumency, she would’ve looked away a long time ago, blushing like a virgin bride.

Was she mistaken or was there something… suggestive about the way his gaze rested on her body just now? The way his voice lowered in register a deepened in timbre? Feeling suddenly flustered, she took a calming breath and hardened her expression.

“I’m sure your fiancée is thrilled.” she said coolly and that charming smile played along his lips once again.

_Damn, was this the Malfoy charm that Draco kept threatening me with? If so… I’m in trouble._

“Couples often have disagreements.” Lucius mentioned non-committally and her brow furrowed a bit in consternation.

_What the hell was that supposed to mean?_

Just as she was about to speak, Daisy appeared back at her side, giving her an instant out.

“Lord Alphard waits for Miss to be back.”

Alexa was so relieved, she could’ve kissed her. She turned to Lucius with a polite, if a bit bland, smile and said:  
“And so our meeting has come to an end. Lord Lucius-”

“When will I see you again?” the man interrupted, his expression turning stern again. Surprised, she blinked a few times before answering.

“In a week, I assume?”

His frown cleared away and Lucius nodded in confirmation. Without any prompting, he took hold of her hand and lifted it to his lips, laying a gentle kiss on the back of it. His grey eyes were so… intense, Alexa stared into them for a moment too long. When she broke out of her reverie, Lucius looked smugly satisfied and she realised she had been caught staring.

Ignoring his, equal parts arrogant and amused, expression, she curtsied with all of the elegance brow-beaten into her by Aunt Walburga.

“It’s been a pleasure, Lady Alexandrine.”

Again, his tone was a bit too familial. Feeling unnerved, Alexa simply nodded and withdrew her hand.

“Until next time, Lord Lucius.”

“I look forward to it...”

His words trailed off as she reached out to Daisy. The House Elf hurried to grab her hand and teleport them away from Diagon Alley, leaving the young Lord Malfoy behind.

They appeared in the family room with no Alphard in sight. She turned towards her Elf, a question clear on her face. Daisy smiled innocently, fluttering her eyelashes over those large, beautifully sky-blue eyes.

“Daisy thinks that Miss wants to go so Daisy lies.”

This time, she kissed her for real.

* * *

August 8th 1974

The Lestrange ancestral home was a thing of beauty. The Victorian style furniture gave the interior both a vintage feel and some character that most modernized homes severely lacked. However, the lack of warmth in the house didn’t surprise her either. There was a chilly draft in the corridor that made her feel like ghosts were passing her by. The place looked and felt a bit haunted.

When one of the House Elves led her to the receiving room, she was surprised to find her cousin in the company of her husband.

Rodolphus Lestrange was a handsome man. His pale complexion as well as dark hair and eyes made his looks very compatible with those of his wife. He was tall and reasonably muscular, dressed in simple, all black robes. Though his jaw was covered in light stubble that didn’t make him look unkept, only a bit older than he was in reality. His hair was slightly longer than she remembered, now reaching as far as his chin, but this style suited him much more.

Before today she only met with him on two separate occasions and remembered him well as a man of very few words. Rodolphus struck her as quite an introspective person, always allowing his wife to speak in his stead when in company. She also knew that he was highly intelligent and a very powerful wizard.

He worked as a Curse-Breaker and according to Bella, he was quite the Ancient Runes enthusiast. Even though their marriage wasn’t of the passionate type, the two respected each other and developed a cordial relationship in the past few years. Maybe it was done out of pragmatism, but in the end they were both reasonably satisfied with it. Except for the constant presence of the in-laws. That put a strain on them and specifically Bella.

Rodolphus was on his feet as soon as she walked in.

_Say what you will about Death Eaters, but their manners are impeccable._

“Lady Alexandrine, welcome to our home.” Rodolphus welcomed her with a respectful bow, wearing a look of polite interest. She smiled, offering her hand.

“Lord Rodolphus, how wonderful to see you.”

He kissed her hand and as she curtsied, his dark eyes swept over her silhouette. Alexa tilted her head, watching his expression carefully.

She was wearing a light, mint-coloured summer dress. Not exactly traditional witch’s garb, but she rarely wore such clothing. Her wardrobe was heavily influenced by all of the years she spent in France.

The warm climate was easy to adjust to and in consequence, her closet was now full of light, flowy and silky garments. Most of them were elegant and very feminine, in accordance with current fashion trends at Beauxbatons.

Today her dress was a mint, empire-line contraption with loose, bell sleeves. She knew it looked just fine. Actually, it was pretty cute. So what was Rodolphus staring at?

“How are you?” Bella asked in place of greeting. “We haven’t spoken since the meeting.”

“I’m fine...” she said, waving her hand dismissively and then enveloped her cousin in an affectionate hug. While her lips hovered over Bella’s ear, she whispered: “… and I should be the one asking you that question.”

She felt Bella’s back turn a bit more rigid in her embrace so she let her go and with a quick, but meaningful glance into her eyes, she turned back to Rodolphus.

“And how are you faring, Lord Rodolphus? Has work been fruitful?”

“Indeed. I’ve been working on a very unique, Persian piece of work. I think you would enjoy it.” the man said smoothly, clearly watching for her reaction. “If you’re willing, you can see it later. I would appreciate your input. Bella tells me you’re quite well-versed in the Arts.”

Alex felt her brows flying up in surprise. This was probably the longest speech Rodolphus has ever made in her presence. She glanced at Bella, noticing the glint of pride in her cousin’s eyes at the mention of her prowess in the Dark Arts.

It wasn’t something she advertised, but the family knew about her skill. Over the years, it simply became too difficult to hide, especially when everyone found out about her private tutoring lessons with Arcturus. After a few years of receiving the highest test scores Bauxbatons has ever seen… well, the cat came out of the bag. She might no longer call herself Hermione Granger, but she was still ambitious as a person and she simply refused to play stupid her whole life. It would damage her Soul beyond repair.

“I would love to.” Alexa agreed, knowing it’s the polite thing to do. Rodolphus nodded in approval. To her surprise, he steered the conversation again.

“Lucius has mentioned your chance encounter. He seemed very impressed by you.”

Alexa shrugged, nonplussed by his commentary.

“Truly? I was quite unimpressed by him.” she said simply, meeting Rodolphus’ gaze directly.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bella rolling hers and smirked. Her cousin enjoyed feigning outrage at her brazenness, but she knew it amused her. Bella, despite her prim and proper upbringing, was a creature that thrived on chaos. Rodolphus, on the other hand, furrowed his brows in disapproval.

“That is a shame. I assure you that Lucius didn’t give his best, out of politeness I’m sure.”

_Ah, so that’s what we’re talking about._

When Rodolphus said that Lucius was impressed with her, he didn’t mean her as a person in general, but her Occlumency skills. The two were friends since their Hogwarts years, so it didn’t surprise her that they would defend each other, but that the topic of her person came up at all was a bit weird.

And just when the thought came to her mind, it struck her. Why were two Death Eaters suddenly so interested in her? Only days after Riddle was mentioned at the Black’s family meeting? There could only be one reason. Alexa sighed.

“If you don’t mind, Rodolphus, I’d like to speak to Bella privately.”

“Of course… but first, do you mind?”

His dark eyes bore into her own and she immediately knew what was being asked of her. Rodolophus’ expression was empty, but the way his lips tightened with determination told her that whatever her answer would be, wouldn’t matter. If she didn’t agree now, he would either ask again until she did or try to catch her unawares some other time.

_Time to face the music._

Narrowing her eyes just a bit, Alexa nodded, simultaneously pulling up her Occlumency shields. Rodolphus’ assault began a heartbeat later, his mental force slamming against her walls like a boulder.

The initial impetus was powerful enough to make her shiver, but the second one weakened considerably. Apparently, Rodolphus put most of his energy into the initial strike. She imagined a thick wall of concrete, cracking right in the centre. Ignoring the incoming collision and the sound of constant hammering, she began meticulously putting her wall back together. Before long, her barrier was looking brand new and the intruder was weak enough to push out by the flick of her finger. Only a flicker wasn’t all that he was going to get.

Taking a deep breath she concentrated her Magical Energy and pushed him out. Hard. Rodolphus reeled back, his face contorting in obvious discomfort.

Alexa felt her hands shake from effort. The visual picture she painted wasn’t necessary. It was a vast simplification of Occlumency methods, but it helped her focus on the task. She didn’t like shielding her mind while keeping it empty. It felt too scattershot. Focus was key. Alexa learned that during her many hours of practising with Arcturus who, unsurprisingly, was a natural Legilimens.

Rodolphus shook off the headache that no doubt was building and gave her an intently penetrative once over, from head to toe. His tone betrayed fascination.

“I’ve underestimated you.”

“Don’t make this mistake again.” Alexa told him coldly. “The next person who tries messing with my head will end up a drooling idiot. Feel free to pass the message along.”

And to her amazement, Rodolphus smirked, seemingly satisfied.

“I’ll be sure to do that.” he assured calmly, then performed a respectful bow. “Now, I will leave you ladies to it.”

Soon after her husband left the room, Bella made her way to the sofa, her skirts twirling with dramatic flourish after every step.

“Come, tell me all about your meeting with Lucius.”

Alexa sighed, betraying her exasperation. She followed her cousin to the sofa and sat down on the other side of the coffee table.

“Why is that important, Bella?” she asked, already knowing the answer. “Why is your husband suddenly so interested in me? And his friend?”

Her cousin smiled coyly, dark eyes glistening with excitement.

“You may have been mentioned at a meeting.”

Immediately Alexa’s heart was in her throat. She expected that would be the answer, but that didn’t lessen the impact of hearing it. She was barely back for a week and already Death Eaters were discussing her over tea and biscuits. She swallowed, trying very hard to remain calm.

“What was said?”

Bella leaned back, letting her body rest against the sofa support. She smiled at her younger cousin with obvious affection.

“I’ve spoken about you before, of course. When I told him you were coming back to Britain, Lord Voldemort expressed an interest in meeting you.”

Alexa jumped out of her seat. She was too restless to sit still and as a result, she began pacing in front of her cousin. Bella observed her with a smile.

That was precisely the reason why she came here today. To prevent this very issue. She had no idea that Bella has already told Him things. How long has this been going on?

_I should’ve talked to her sooner, I should’ve… Fuck!_

Her temper was quickly coming to a boil and for that reason, her Occlumency shields came up for the second time that day. This time to curtail the emotional turmoil.

“What did you say about me?”

Bella laughed when she saw the worried look on her face.

“Don’t worry, only good things. How strong and brilliant you are. He appreciates talent, you know.”

_That is not AT ALL what I’m worried about, Bella..._

Even the thought of her being worried that Lord Voldemort has a poor opinion of her was beyond ridiculous. Alexa struggled not to blow up on her cousin. That wouldn’t do any good. As far as she was concerned, Bella has completely lost the plot. In her defence, she probably thought she was doing her a favour, but damn, was she misguided in her efforts.

She could pretty much imagine how that conversation went. Bella mentioned her beloved cousin in a “meeting”, probably singing her praises and peaking the curiosity of the attendees. Maybe she even mentioned that Alexa was a natural Occlumens. From then on a straight line could be drawn. Lucius got overly inquisitive, the opportunity presented itself and he decided to test her skill for himself. When he told his friend that he was unsuccessful, Rodolphus decided to try his luck as well.

Was her meeting with Lucius even a coinsidence? She was starting to suspect their 'chance' encounter didn't have much to do with chance after all.

It all made sense to her, but that wasn’t much of a consolation. She wasn’t ready yet. Not for this type of… interest. Not from Voldemort himself. Death Eaters she could handle, at least she was confident that she could. Most of them weren’t much of a threat right now. Not after all of the years of preparing herself in case things went to hell in a handbasket.

“Why would you talk about me at all, Bella?” she asked through gritted teeth.

“We need powerful, loyal people to join.” her cousin explained patiently. “You’re the strongest witch I know. When you become of age and take over as Head of House Selwyn, you will need political support. With Lord Voldemort on your side you can have so much more influence! You can’t imagine the kind of people that we’ve already recruited and it will only get better!”

Oh, she could imagine well enough. Just like the second time, during the First Wizarding War, Riddle’s influence ran deep into the Ministry. She also couldn’t help but notice the way Bellatrix spoke about it all, namely the “we”. It suggested just how deeply she was involved in it all already.

“Maybe I don’t want to get involved in politics? Did you think about that?”

Bella scoffed.

“Oh, come on! You? Of course you will! Besides...” she waved her hand dismissively. “You can always refuse.”

“Can I?!” Alexa snapped, surprising her cousin into silence. “Tell me Bella, how wonderfully well does He deal with dissent?!”

Bellatrix’s dark, nearly black eyes narrowed in a calculating manner.

“Why are you so opposed to the idea?”

Forcing herself to calm down, Alexa turned away from her cousin, resuming the pacing. She couldn’t blow up like that. Bella was smart and acting suspicious wouldn’t do her any good right now. The milk had already spilt, no point crying over the carton.

“I’d rather handle my business on my own.” Alexa huffed, crossing her arms. Bella rolled her eyes.

“Just hear him out. It’s not like I’ve sold your soul or something...”

_If only you knew…_

“Wait.” a thought stopped Alexa in her tracks. She turned to look at Bella, nerves already coiling in her stomach. “What do you mean ‘hear him out’? Who says we’ll even meet?”

“You will. He’s coming to the wedding.”

Those few words were enough to make her feel faint. Carefully, she walked over to the couch and sat down, struggling to keep the emotions off of her face.

_The wedding… that’s just a few days. He’ll be there. God, he’ll be there and he’ll want to talk to me! Bella, what the hell have you done?!_

She knew she couldn’t avoid the Death Eaters forever, especially not when all of her cousins were marrying one. But Him? She was hoping to never have to see him ever again. Especially not like this! Not only was she already on his radar, but he has taken enough of a personal interest to discuss her during Death Eater meetings. And now he wanted to talk to her!

_Holy fuck!_

If not for her extensive Occlumency training, she would’ve blown up right about now. In a state of contained panic, her brain decided to focus on the minutia.

“Who put him on the guest list? Your mother?”

She knew that Dromeda wouldn’t, but by the same token, it would do her well to know who was involved. Especially among her own family. Bella shook her head in the negative.

“Brighton. He’s a member.”

Alexa hid her disappointment. So Andromeda’s husband was a Death Eater. That… didn’t bode well. She took a moment to settle down. Bella looked… faintly amused by her obvious disapproval. She was sitting there, looking completely relaxed, absent-mindedly playing with her incredibly gaudy, gold ring.

“Why do you wear that?” Alexa asked, just to have more time to gather her wits about her.

It was one of the ugliest rings she has ever seen. The thing looked antique, but not at all in a good way. A huge, smokey brown quartz stone was set in long, rectangular frame of reddish gold. The ring covered half of the length of her finger. It was massive, gaudy and… ugly. Just plain ugly. Bella knew that too.

Hearing her comment, she looked down at her hand and chuckled.

“Because my dear mother-in-law would kill me if I hadn’t. It’s a family heirloom, apparently.” Bella scrunched up her nose in distaste, then looked away from the offending piece of jewellery. “You know she was always opposed to the union. The woman hates me already. I don’t need to give her another reason to ruin my days, she does enough of that as it is.”

Alexa didn’t know what to say in response to that. She didn’t know what the hell was wrong with those people. Lady Lestrange seemed determined do make Bella’s life as difficult as possible ever since the first day of her marriage to Rodolphus. And not for any particular reason either. Apparently, she was only doing that to be a bitch.

She had a feeling it might be some misguided motherly sentiment. From what Bella told her it sounded like a you’re-not-good-enough-for-my-baby-boy, sort of attitude. Which made it even more appropriate that Lady Lestrange gave Bella that family ring.

Burdening her with the ugliest heirloom in existence under the pretence of sentimentality and family unity sounded like the perfect, Pureblood society wife, bitchy move. Druella could learn a thing or two about the value of subtlety from Lady Lestrange.

“How are you feeling after the family meeting?” Alexa asked instead, knowing that since they were now alone, she would receive an answer.

“It’s nothing new, Alexa. Don’t worry. When I get pregnant, they will leave me alone.”

The words were said lightly, but the concerned look on Bella’s face spoke much more about her state of mind. She kept quiet, knowing that such a thing wasn’t going to happen.

In her first life, Bella and Rodolphus never had children, despite being married for many years before landing in Azkaban. This time it would be different, of course. She had no intention of allowing Bella within a sniffing distance of that foul place. But fertility issues… some things she just couldn’t help with.

Unfortunately it looked like all of those problems were taking a toll on Bellatrix. She was thinner than ever nad traces of dark circles could be seen under her eyes despite of all of her efforts to cover them up with makeup. Alexa wanted to grill her a bit more, but Bella wasn't the type of person to broadcast her personal problems. If and when she needed help, she would ask for it, but not a moment sooner.

“Don’t let them talk to you like that.” she settled on saying, but her cousin just shrugged.

“They only want what’s best for the family. On that note, it was nice to see my mother knocked down a peg.” Bella chuckled with satisfaction. Alexa echoed the sentiment wholeheartedly.

“It was. Did you get in trouble for voting in favour?”

“Threats were made of removing me from the family tapestry.” Bellatrix teased, an amused glint in her eye. Alexa smiled, but a sudden thought stopped her laughter from bubbling out.

“Bella… how does the tapestry work?”

“What do you mean?”

Alexa hesitated, pulling on her Occlumency to maintain a neutral expression.

“When someone joins the family, when do they appear there?” she questioned slowly, being careful in choosing her words. “If I were to marry, when would my husband pop up on the tapestry? Or my child?”

Bella tilted her head, thinking deeply.

“Well, I’ve never really thought about that, but when I married Rodolphus I know for sure his name appeared on the same day. Cissy told me.”

Alexa thought hard, her mind spinning. It can't happen at the moment of birth. Of course a name had to be chosen first. Otherwise what would appear on the tapestry? Unnamed? No, the magic had to be connected to something.

“How does the spell work?” she wondered, watching her cousin intensely. Bella shrugged.

“You’d have to ask Lord Arcturus to be sure.”

“Why?” Alexa immediately asked, wincing at the very thought.

Arcturus was the last person she wanted to ask this question. He was way too perceptive. If he put two and two together… all hell would break loose. Buying a wand from Ollivander and concealing a child from a dalliance with a Muggleborn were in two completely different leagues in terms of favours she could ask for or extort from him on the basis of being a Soul Traveller.

He would do many things if she told him it’s for the good of the Blacks, but this… he’d probably rather betray Andromeda. Pragmatic as he was when it came to family matters, Arcturus did believe in blood purity. They were essentially trying to hide a half-blood child among the most blood supremacist family in Britain. Arcturus was the Paterfamilias. If he knew… he might disown them both. Such a thing was sacrosanct.

“The Patriarch is the one who keeps the family records.” Bella explained, causing Alexa to cringe internally. “That’s why copies of important documents are sent to him. Betrothal, marriage contracts, birth certificates, that sort of thing. I'm sure he would know how it all works.”

Alexa felt an overwhelming need to wring her hands through her hair. This lie was causing her one bitch of a headache just a few days in. She didn’t even want to think how this would go for the rest of their lives. Because that’s how long it would last. As long as Dromeda’s child was alive, the secret would have to be kept.

In her mind, she was already preparing herself for telling Dromeda that their plan just went to shit, because they needed to tell Arcturus and he would probably kill them when he found out. Alexa decided to investigate. She desperately needed to know how the stupid family tapestry worked.

* * *

August 11th 1974

Today was the day. Preparing for Andromeda’s wedding involved a three-hour-long beautifying ritual. Not exactly for the sake of the event itself, but for what Wispy declared her “society debut”. She didn’t argue, only because she already had that chat with Aunt Walburga and she wasn’t keen on hearing it again. Especially since it was more of a lecture than a chat.

So here she was, sitting idly by as Daisy put makeup on her face and Wispy magicked her hair into seven different hairstyles in a row, hearing the words over and over in her head.

‘You are a Black and soon you will be the Head of your own House.’

‘If you don’t make a good impression, your marriage prospects will severely diminish.’

‘You need to represent and bring pride to our family.’

‘Your behaviour reflects on all of us, especially your father.’

‘You are no longer a child, you are a young lady and you will act as such.’

‘Do not bring shame onto House Black or you will regret it.’

Ignorant Muggleborn that she was, she had no idea the kind of pressure that Pureblood kids had to endure. From the outside looking in, it appeared like a fairy tale. Purebloods were basically treated like modern day royalty. Rich, powerful, often very beautiful. But in reality, those perks came with a crushing weight of responsibility.

Responsibility, which her father graciously allowed her to ignore up to this point. For her benefit, they lived apart from the Pureblood society all throughout her childhood. Now that she was an adult, it just wouldn’t fly any more. It was time to pick up the mantle.

Aunt Walburga, though she loved her dearly, didn’t go easy on her. Oh no. Precisely the opposite. The more Walburga cared about you, the higher her expectations. So not only did she persuade, guilt, coerce and threaten her to ensure that she would be on her best behaviour, she also gave Wispy and Daisy strict instructions on how to prepare her for the event.

Frankly, Alexa was happy that she had a dress ready before coming to Britain, otherwise Walburga would’ve stuck her claws in that as well. However, this time she ended up supremely satisfied with the dress that a designer from France custom made for her.

It was an a-line gown with a skirt made out fine layers of ice blue tulle and a very fitted, figure-hugging bodice covered in gorgeous, crystal embellishments. The beading itself looked phenomenally detailed, taking shapes of whimsical vines along the entire bodice and the v-shaped neckline. The dress looked absolutely ethereal when put on and the cool, icy blue colour corresponded well with her olive complexion and sapphire blue eyes, making her look bright and lively.

The crystals and beads along the neckline were elaborate enough that she could get away with modest jewellery. A simple necklace with three, small, vertically placed diamonds and round, diamond stud earrings were already on her person and the white gold bracelet from Uncle Cygnus, as always, remained on her wrist. Aunt Walburga relucantly agreed to let her wear it even though in her expert opinion, she still didn’t look “regal enough”.

How much more regal could she look when she was already dripping in diamonds, she had no clue, but this time she let it slide. Since the weather bordered on piping hot, a pair of silver, strappy sandals completed the look.

When Wispy finally decided on a hairstyle, Alexa’s curls ended up in a half updo with white flowers pinned to the centre. Her nails were well-manicured and nude in colour and her makeup simple and elegant. Daisy artfully applied some eyeshadow, mascara and lip gloss, leaving her face as natural as possible. She didn’t need a ton of makeup to melt in the scorching hot sun. There were spells to take care of that, yes, but by the third hour of pampering, she was severely over it all and wanted to leave the makeshift beauty salon at all costs.

Thus, she was quite relieved when her father, looking extremely dapper in his formal robes, came to pick her up. Alphard surveyed his daughter with a soft expression.

“You look beautiful, princess.”

“Thank you, Father. You’re quite handsome yourself.” she smiled, looking around the room one last time to make sure she had everything she needed.

Her wand was covertly tucked away in a secret pocket, hidden in the layers of tulle in her skirt. So was her lip gloss, because she’d probably need both to come out with upper hand tonight. When she was sure that everything was in place, she thanked Wispy and Daisy for their help and followed her father out of the room.

Anyone who knew Alphard would say that he aged quite wonderfully, only gaining a few smile lines over the past fifteen years. Not to mention his glorious, raven black hair, which was still as long and luscious as the day she was born. Today, just like every other day, a silk hair tie kept it secured in the back. Honestly, if not for the smile lines, she could easily mistake him for the man he was a decade and a half ago.

“I’ll Apparate us to the gates of Nott Castle. Are you ready?” Alphard asked, giving his precious daughter a searching look.

She made the mistake of telling him that she was nervous about meeting with the stuffy, Pureblood company and now he was just as worried as she was. For that reason, she smiled reassuringly.

“Ready.”

* * *

It turned out she wasn’t ready at all. When she stood at the altar, there was an equal amount of people gaping at her as there were staring at the bride. That in itself was a huge weight off Dromeda’s back, who was more than happy to hide behind her veil for the whole ceremony. Alexa could feel their eyes on her person, could almost decipher their whispers.

‘Who’s that?’ they were asking. ‘That’s the youngest Black girl.’ ‘Alphard’s?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘The one from France?’ ‘She’s not from France, her mother was French.’ ‘The Selwyn girl? I remember her.’ ‘Died so young...’ ‘Yes, poor thing.’

Head held high, she completely ignored them. She wouldn’t let their gawking and gossiping get the better of her. It deserved none of her attention and it would get none. They would get none. She would much rather focus on important thins. Like the reason they were all here today.

Her cousin made a stunning bride. Andromeda wore a tulle, empire gown with long, see-through sleeves. The material looked soft and flowy, enveloping her body like a cloud. A sea of chocolate brown locks cascaded freely down her back, decorated with white flowers and a smattering of pearls. She looked like a goddess.

The groom on the other hand, looked handsome enough. Truthfully, Alexa was a bit miffed that she would only meet him on their wedding day, but apparently Brighton wasn’t terribly interested in meeting his wife’s extended family. In her mind, all of her cousins were like siblings. Save for Narcissa, the wayward cousin.

Brighton only graduated from Hogwarts last summer, making him three years younger than his wife. Though one wouldn’t come to such a conclusion when looking at them. The groom appeared calm and unaffected all throughout the ceremony, even when their vows were sealed by a chaste kiss on the lips.

He was a handsome man with short, light brown hair and coffee brown eyes. Brighton’s slim, tall physique put him on par with his wife’s, as the top of his head barely exceeded Andromeda’s by a few inches. Currently, the man was sporting an impressive, golden tan that contrasted beautifully with the stark whiteness of his shirt as well as the wedding dress, especially when he escorted his new wife through the crowd of guests.

The ceremony came to an end surprisingly quickly and the guests were directed to the dining area. Due to the beautiful, summer weather the whole affair was taking place outside in the vast gardens of Nott Castle. A large, wooden parquet was laid out in the middle of the plaza, with buffet style tables, brimming with food, lined every side of it. There were tables on the lawn, but it appeared that the majority of the party would be spent sashaying around, conversing with strangers and casually nibbling on appetizers with forced disinterest.

How fun.

Alexa decided to hang in the back and get some food in her belly while the newly-weds received the flowers and congratulations. She would much rather speak to Dromeda alone. Plans needed to be made before the wedding night. In the most stringent, orthodox families of the Sacred Twenty-Eight brides were expected to guard their virginities. Since in Andromeda’s case that ship has both sailed and sunk to the bottom of the ocean, something had to be arranged to cover up for her… situation.

The first dance was decidedly pleasant and that's because she spent it dancing with her father, which was both sappy and adorable. She was determined not to dance with strangers. God knows, she didn't need Druella to see her with someone in particulat. She'd start a bloody riot. No, better not to encourage any rumours.

There was only one thing that made her want to dance the Irish jig. He wasn't here. For some reason, Voldemort didn't show and that made her mood immediately better. Of course, the first thing she did upon arrival was search the crowd for his face. When she realised he wasn't there, she heaved the biggest sigh of relief. That only left her with one problem. Suitors.

She was devouring her fourth caviar aperitif when an older lady approached her with an extremely cute, young boy at her side. He was no more than eight, clinging to her skirts with his pudgy hands, cheeks flushed pink. For a moment she wondered if perhaps she could recognize them from her life as Hermione, but it was no use. She had no idea.

Not until a formal greeting ensued and the woman introduced herself as the Great Aunt of the groom, Lady Evalyn Crabbe. The boy, whom she called Dorian, turned out to be her grandson. Curiously enough, Alphard’s mother was Irma Crabbe, which meant they were distant cousins. She didn’t even want to think what kind of twisted, family connection she would now have with Vincent Crabbe.

It took her about three, adorable anecdotes about how smart and ahead of his age Dorian was, until she realised what was happening. She was being matched with the little bugger!

“...Yes, it is definitely a sign of brilliance.” Alexa nodded, smiling politely. “I myself am very invested in my education. I plan on becoming the youngest Chief Healer in the History of Saint Mungo’s.”

The woman blinked, then stared for a long moment, taking in her smiling, yet serious expression.

“Oh… really? How… ambitious.” she finally responded, her face twisted as if she just swallowed a lemon. “A Healer? I had no idea the Blacks would want… a Healer in their family.”

“My father approves of my decision.” she lied easily, taking a small sip of white wine to wash down another portion of caviar.

Truth to be told, Alphard had no idea she wanted to be a Healer. Nobody did. Not even Alexa herself, because she just came up with it on the spot. What career could be more time consuming than that one? No wannabe-matchmaker would accept such a choice.

“But it’s such a…” she stuttered, apparently lost for words. “...measly career for a young woman as delicate as yourself...”

Alexa’s smile disappeared from her face as easily as if the summer breeze just swept it away. Her deeply blue eyes lost their kindness within a heartbeat.

“Lady Crabbe, believe it or not, I am not some helpless little flower in need of guidance. There is nothing ‘delicate’ about me. As you so aptly pointed out, I am a Black.” she said quietly, but pointedly, a sharp edge to her voice. “Healing is a noble profession. Saving lives is a worthy thing to spend your time doing. I would much rather do that than wipe the snot off of my husband’s face.”

The biting comment at the end caused the woman’s face to turn a burgundy shade of red.

“Well I’ve never…” Lady Evalyn huffed, eyes wide with shock. “Good day, young Lady! You should seriously rethink your priorities!”

And with that, she turned on her heel, yanking the poor boy behind her. Alexa winced. Maybe she overdid it just a tiny bit.

It grated on her nerves when she was treated like an empty-headed, decorative piece, but that’s not what ticked her off. She wouldn’t let some snobbish dinosaur disparage the people that will soon pour their sweat and blood into keeping her alive when she suffers a heart-attack in the next five to ten years. Oh no!

For many years, Katie Bell was her best and only true friend. Many times she saw her save the lives of other Resistance members. Hell, she even put her back together after her body got split in half! As far as she was concerned, Healers were miracle workers and she wouldn’t stand around meekly and demurely when that wrinkly, old bag stepped all over them and their sacrifiece.

 _Delicate, honestly!_ She snorted.

Her next sip of wine was a bit deeper. Hopefully, Aunt Burga won’t hear about that… She bit her lip at the thought. Maybe she should put her inner lion to sleep for the next few hours. A much more measured approached was necessary to survive this day. She needed to channel Ombrelune, not Gryffindor.

_Deep breaths. This is just the beginning._

Her inner pep talk was interrupted by another arrival. This time a much more welcome one. When she saw Uncle Cygnus, Alexa had to pause, lest she throw herself into his arms.

“Oh thank, Merlin!” she exhaled with relief, raising on her tiptoes to kiss her Godfather on his cheek. He chuckled.

“I saw you talking to Evalyn and thought you might need a rescue, but apparently you’ve managed to handle her yourself.” Cygnus rubbed his goatee pensively, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “The boy wasn’t your type?”

Alex barely managed to hide her laugh with a cough and as she collected herself, she shot him a glare.

“It’s your wife’s fault, you know. Have some shame.”

Cygnus laughed at her indignant expression.

“You knew it’s only a matter of time. Quit sulking.” he gave her a light jab on the side. “Come, we’ll have a drink.”

“I’m already drinking.” Alexa pointed out, raising her near-empty glass of white wine.

Purebloods were much less stringent when it came to drinking. Alphard didn’t mind if she indulged in a glass during dinner.

“Not this, real drinks. Firewhiskey.” Cygnus took her glass and put it away on a server’s tray, shaking his head in disapproval.

_Well, Father might mind THAT._

But since her Godfather was already leading her towards a table, she didn’t protest.

No more than ten minutes later, she was back to strolling along the tables. Their private part got interrupted by Cygnus’ own wife. Alexa decided that the day would be stressful enough without the woman’s input, so she escaped before Druella reached the table.

Even though she was a bit tipsy, this time she saw them coming from a mile away. A young, more or less twenty-year-old man and a gentleman about fifty years his senior. He was the one who made the introductions.

“Lady Alexanrine? My name is Bernard Fawley and this is my son Connor. It’s an honour to meet you.”

Alexa curtsied, accepting two, chaste kisses on the palm of her hand.

“The honour is mine, Lord Bernard, Lord Connor.” she responded politely, recognizing the names from the Pureblood Directory that Walburga pounded into her head at age five.

Bernard and Connor Fawley were the family Patriarch and Heir, respectively. Admittedly, she could do much worse. Connor very good-looking, with his golden hair, blue eyes and sun-kissed skin. If he aged like his father though, that might make her reconsider.

Bernard had to be somewhere from forty to fifty, but he easily looked seventy years old. She could see the traces of his good looks behind the grey hair and wrinkles, but the terrible posture made him look a good foot shorter than he actually was. The cane didn’t help matters either.

“I must say, Lady Alexandrine, you look exceptionally beautiful today.” Connor offered with a charming smile, then leaned in conspiratorially. “I dare say you may have even outshined the bride.”

Alexa just had to smile at this. He was a charmer.

“Let us not be overzealous in our compliments, Lord Connor.” she told him humorously, picking up a glass of wine from the table. Red, this time. It was a party after all. “My cousin is easily the most beautiful woman here.”

Connor laughed and bowed his head in acquiescence.

“I refuse to argue with a Lady.” he quipped, smiling widely enough to show a row of pearly whites.

She has long decided that Alphard was entirely right. Maybe it was possible for her to fall in love in this life. Why not? Why would she not try if there was a chance? With that thought, she smiled back.

“Then you’re a wise man, Lord Connor.” Alexa teased, making him laugh again, but his good humour was quickly interrupted by his father. Bernard cleared his throat, throwing his son a not-so-covert look, then turned towards her.

“Lady Alexandrine, I must ask: do you intend to return to France?”

She tilted her head curiously, wondering where he was going with this line of inquiry.

“I do not, Lord Fawley. I’m going to finish my education right here. Why does that interest you, if I may ask?”

“If a betrothal contract is agreed upon, we must know this beforehand.” he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

His directness made her eyes widen in astonishment. She composed herself quickly, straightening her back.

“You’re being very forward, Lord Fawley.” Alexa told him, a bit of warning seeping into her voice. Connor suddenly looked uncomfortable, but his father just waved it off.

“I’m too old to play these games. You’re young and beautiful, and if the gossip hens are correct, you have a decently full head on your shoulders.” the older man said brusquely and in spite of herself, she smiled amusedly at his audacity. He continued. “I will offer your Father a contract for your hand.” Bernard told her boldly, but the next sentence nearly blew her out of her feet. “In fact, I will offer two. It’s up to you which one you will accept.”

Without bothering to reach for her Occlumency shields, Alexa allowed her mouth to fall open in shock. She looked to Connor to see if it was a joke, but he wouldn’t look her in the eye. As reality dawned on her, she almost choked on air. Alexa took a generous gulp of wine.

_God help me!_

“Have you considered that I may not accept either offer?” she asked, facing Lord Fawley as calmly as possible. The man shrugged.

“You’d be a fool. No one will offer you more freedom than our family. My son needs a young wife to provide him Heirs, that is true, but I myself only need someone to fill the role of Lady Fawley before my son takes over. I would only ask you to keep an old man company and represent our family in public.”

She was stunned into silence. Of all things, this was the last one she’d ever expect. How could he say such a thing with a straight face? Shockingly enough, Connor spoke up next.

“If you married my father, you could do whatever you wanted with your life. Even work, if that’s what you wish. No other family will make such an offer.” he said kindly, if a bit awkwardly. “I would be good husband for you, if you wanted... I wasn’t lying when I said you are beautiful.”

“I can tell you’re not one of those sit-on-their-asses women. Rumours have it, you’re quite a smart cookie.” Bernard added easily, shifting his grip on the cane. “You would do well in both roles, that’s why we’re giving you the choice. Either way, you’d end up being Lady Fawley some time.”

It didn’t happen very often that she was so taken aback, she had no idea what to say.

 _Ombrelune, ombrelune,_ she chanted in her head.

Alexa cleared her throat.

“I appreciate the offer, Lord Fawley.” she said blandly, flickering her eyes from one to the other. Bernard grunted disapprovingly.

“That means: no. Just think on it, girl. Don’t be foolish. If you don’t want me, my son will make a good husband for you.”

She didn’t respond, instead opting for another sip of wine.

_At this rate, I’ll be wasted before the wedding cake._

Bernard bowed with visible difficulty and stalked away. Connor, though a bit flushed from embarrassment, bowed before her as well.

“I apologize if my father’s… bluntness made you uncomfortable.”

“Not at all.” she mumbled sarcastically, raising her glass in a mock-toast. Chuckling, Connor gently took the half-full glass from her hand and set it on the table.

She narrowed her eyes in displeasure. This was the second time today that a man was taking away her wine and it was starting to become annoying. Connor either didn’t see her expression or ignored it completely.

“Consider me. Please?” he asked, a hopeful, very charming smile appearing on his face once again.

“I don’t think I could handle the father-in-law.” Alexa admitted frankly, making him laugh once again.

“Think on it, that’s all I ask.” Connor reiterated, taking her hand for a goodbye kiss. “Lady Alexandrine.”

“Lord Connor.” she answered with a sigh, but didn’t have the mental fortitude to curtsy again. Connor smiled and left her to her jumbled thoughts.

That bombastic development wasn’t something that she expected. Grunting, she looked around the room, searching for a friendly face. When she found one, she darted that way.

“Dance with me.” she demanded as soon as she was within earshot. “Or I’ll drown my sorrows in a barrel of wine.”

Regulus smiled kindly and like the gentleman he was, he bowed and offered his hand. Giving her cousin a supremely grateful look, she allowed him to escort her to the dance floor.

Just like her, Regulus received lessons from Walburga, which made him a wonderful dancer. He had an easy, natural grace that she had to learn over the years in Beauxbatons and Sirius never quite achieved.

Alexa relaxed, instantly becoming comfortable in his familiar embrace. He led confidently, allowing them to glide elegantly through the dance floor, moving to the tune of the string quartet. For the first whole first piece, they remained in a pleasant silence, simply enjoying each other’s company. That was one of the things she loved about Reggie.

By now, Sirius would’ve bombarded her with a thousand of questions, especially with that introduction. Regulus was different in a way that made his presence reassuring and calming. He never offered opinions unless specifically asked for them. When the second tune began, she was much more collected and ready to begin a conversation.

“These people are grating on my nerves.” Alexa confessed with a slight pout on her lips. Her younger cousin laughed quietly.

“Have you heard? Apparently, Alexandrine Black is on the marriage market.” Reggie whispered, his smokey grey eyes brightening playfully. She groaned dramatically. “Mother told me that Aunt Druella made the news spread pretty fast.”

“Lightning fast.” Alexa grumbled, then paused for a second as Regulus artfully spun her in a neat circle. Her expression softened. “Merlin, you’re so grown up already. I miss you boys so much when I’m away. I’m glad we’ll be able to spend more time together.”

Regulus blinked in surprise, then smiled brightly.

“Me too.”

Alexa giggled quietly at his concise, yet telling answer. The song ended and she realised it is probably time to let him go. She kissed the top of his head, just like she did when he was a small boy.

“Soon, I won’t be able to reach.” Alexa joked, gently brushing a few wisps of dark hair from his forehead. Reggie blushed adorably, looking very much like an embarrassed, thirteen-year-old boy. “Thanks for letting me take a break.”

“Always.” he promised dutifully, a serious look in his eye, as he escorted her off of the dance floor.

With a last smile, the two parted ways and Alexa went in search of something else to occupy her time. Dromeda and her beau were busy talking to Pollux of all people, so that side of the plaza was definitely a no-go zone. Fortunately, she spotted her father, who somehow managed to escape her aspiring stepmothers and now sat at a table with Uncle Orion serving as a drinking companion. Her feet changed direction to join them without even a single, conscious thought.

Suddenly, she stopped. A shift in the air halted her steps. She could feel something, like a shift in the Magical Energy, an electric current brushing against her skin. Alexa always scanned the area when she was out of home. It was one of the remnants of cautiousness ingrained in her by the long years of living on the run.

She inhaled, her body stiffening as she realised what was going on. There could only be one person arrogant enough to wear their Magical power on their sleeve. Powerful enough, that when released their power literally shifted the Magical Energy around them. It was Him, it had to be.

_No, no, no, no, no, no please..._

To so flagrantly display one’s power in a crowd of seasoned Witches and Wizards would normally be considered a sign of inability to conceal it. But she knew, just like most of them probably did, that this wasn’t the reason in His case.

Alexa didn’t have to look to confirm it and she would be lying if she said that she wasn’t scared to see Him, but for some weird reason, she felt herself be drawn to the ominous power slowly expanding nearby. It was almost like a train wreck, she was powerless to stop it and so she could only watch as it all unfolded in front of her eyes.

Turning towards the source of the Magical disturbance, she saw a small crowd gathering in its place. That only highlighted how much influence he already had and with such a grand entrance, his influence would only grow by the end of the night. She saw Bellatrix and Rodolphus standing nearby, watching the arrival.

The excited look on her cousin’s face, the joyful glint in her eye reminded her very much the expression that she never wanted to see on Bella’s face ever again. It’s been years since she last saw that one in her nightmares. Regretfully, both Uncle Cygnus and Uncle Orion were making their way towards the growing gathering of people. Brighton Nott was standing up as well, grabbing his newly-wed wife along the way.

Feeling suddenly light-headed, Alexa turned right back around and went in the opposite direction. Her Occlumency shields pulled tight, she realised that she was a bit too tipsy to keep them intact in case someone… like Him decided to wonder in.

_FUCK!_

Either because of the nerves or because she was slowly losing control of her faculties, Alexa managed to tip a full glass of wine in one, big gulp. If her shields were already on shaky ground, she couldn’t make them much worse with a single glass, right?

_RIGHT?_

She immediately knew it was the wrong thing to do, but the panic was setting in and she was starting to lose it. Her hands were shaking.

_Why did he have to come?! Why did he have to be late?! Had I known he would come after all, I wouldn't fucking drink!_

Remembering her Occlumncy lessons, she tried to calm her breathing. There was no use winding herself up before He was even around. It’s not like she didn’t know what to do. She had a plan, the same she came up with years ago, after getting a mere glimpse of the man in Diagon Alley.

She was going to be boring, uninteresting. In fact, her little fib from earlier about how she aspired to become a Healer, would do her well in this case. Voldemort wasn’t bloody interested in Healing. He’d much rather focus on the opposite.

If she was boring enough, he wouldn’t want her as one of the Death Eaters. People always assumed her to be weak and fragile. Maybe it was because of her looks, maybe it was the feminine, French clothing or the Beauxbatons etiquette. Whatever the reason, people tended to underestimate her.

The odd rumours from her childhood, the ones saying that maybe she was ‘sickly like her mother’ antisocial or deformed in some way, were an asset in this case. If He thought she was as weak and pathologically introverted as the gossips proclaimed, he wouldn’t be interested in her. She was a bookworm, boring and bland.

Maybe she couldn’t fake that persona for her entire life, but she could damn well fake it for the five minutes it would take to talk to Him. Because how often would she have to see him, realistically? Once a year for some Pureblood wedding? She could handle that. Two years of boring and bland, and no matter what praises Bella sung her, he would let go of any hope he had for Alexandrine Black to join him.

The pep talk was doing a wonder for her nerves. Either that or the wine. But the wine definitely did one other thing. It dulled her senses. It dulled her senses enough that she only felt Him when he was a mere two feet away.

His voice was as smooth as silk gliding over a sharp blade.

“Lady Alexandrine… may I have this dance?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back!  
> I really thought this chapter was going to be the death of me. After my exams were over, my file got corrupted and I had to rewrite about 30% of the chapter... AGAIN. Somewhere in the middle I got a complete writer's block and couldn't figure out what I want to do here. It came out LONG. Capital L, O, N and G - LONG. Even for me, this chapter is too much.
> 
> I'm going to allow myself a moment of self-pity here and admit to you, that this is probably the worst time of my life to be writing a fic. I've never been so damn busy. It's my last year of university, I have to write my thesis, pass my internship and, by some miracle, obtain my bachelors degree. That is on top of having a full-time job. Honestly, this was such a bad idea lol
> 
> Nevertheless, I'll do my best to keep posting. I don't want to abandon the story, but unfortunately, I won't be able to update too often or with any regularity. I know, I'm horrible.
> 
> Okay, I'm done with my pity-party! ;) I have one, story-related piece of news. A Russian translation for the story is currently in the works. Reylllex reached out to me some time ago and obtained permission to write it. She has posted the first chapter recently, so here's the link: https://ficbook.net/readfic/10446478  
> If anyone else would like to translate the story, especially into a different language, you can reach out to me in the comments and I'll definitely get back to you.
> 
> Finally, we have reached the moment that you've all been waiting for. The Dark Lord is in the building! And Alexa is... tipsy. Poor girl. I really set her up for trouble this time! Unfortunately, she has to make mistakes from time to time. She is not a superhero, just an imperfect human. If you take into account the constant pressure and stress she is under, you will realise that no one could handle that without making a few blunders. I think it makes her a more realistic, well-rounded character.
> 
> I know it's been a long time before Voldemort really mader his presence known so thank you to everyone who was patient enough to stick with me up until this point :)  
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Have a beautiful day! Hopefully, I will see you in the comment section and in the next chapter!  
> XOXO


	11. Chapter 11

August 11th 1974

There was no describing that moment in words. The way her breath caught in her throat, the way her heart skipped more than one beat. Blood thrummed between her temples, a primitive warning in the face of grave danger. Her hands were shaking and so she tightened her grip on the wineglass before turning around.

If hearing his voice made her heart stop, seeing his face made it beat again. His very identity was enough to bring her to her knees, but the shocking part was, his looks could have women throwing themselves at his feet.

For this wasn’t the red-eyed monster she remembered from her first life. He wasn’t the Lord Voldemort haunting her dreams. This was Tom Riddle… and Tom Riddle was devilishly handsome.

The perfect structure of his jaw and cheekbones created brilliantly sharp angles on his face. There was an impeccable symmetry in the placement of his soft, but well-defined lips and striking, emerald green eyes. He had unbelievably long, dark lashes that gave his almond-shaped eyes an even daintier shape.

Just like the first time, it struck her that Tom Riddle could easily pass for a Black. From his ivory complexion to his pitch black hair that lightly curled around the tips. Riddle’s nose, straight and slim looked like it could’ve been copied and pasted from Uncle Cygnus’ face. Or even Alphard’s.

It wasn’t the only similarity either. Tom Riddle had the in-born demeanor and presence of a high-born Pureblood. He appeared imposing and regal, commanding and dignified. Ever gesture he made looked effortlessly elegant. Strangely enough, she could easily imagine that this was how Arcturus must’ve seemed when he was younger.

Riddle was wearing a brand new set of elegant, black robes with a forest green shirt that complimented his already striking eyes beautifully. He looked every bit the part of a rich, Pureblood gentleman. Some type of Dark Magic had to be at play, because the man who now had to be close to fifty years old, didn’t look a day over thirty.

Paralyzed into silence, she could only watch him. At the same time, she was being watched. Piercing, emerald green eyes scrutinized every inch of her face and body. His slow, very deliberate perusal had Alexa squirming in her own skin.

His dazzlingly green eyes suddenly narrowed on hers and Alexa sucked in a shaky breath. Upon seeing her very obvious discomfort, Riddle’s lips upturned into a small smirk. He was enjoying this, she could tell.

“Lady Alexandrine, how long will you keep me in suspense?”

Immediately, her heart-rate spiked. What should she call him?! Voldemort?! My Lord?!

_Oh hell no..._

That thought was dismissed as soon as it appeared in her head.

“Apologies.” she said with a small curtsy, somehow forcing her voice into a pleasant, feminine tone. “I was searching for a polite way to explain my predicament.”

Riddle looked intrigued at this answer.

“And what predicament would that be?”

Thoughts were spinning so wildly in her head, that she had no choice but to pin down the closest one.

“My family insists that I choose a husband. A dance would be a clear sign of favor.” Alexa fibbed, hoping it sounded convincing. “That’s why I’ve only danced with family members.”

She felt a tiny bit bad for throwing all Blacks under the bus, but this was not the time for scruples!

Riddle chuckled, a deep and rich sound that made her heart flutter with nervousness. It was nothing at all like she remembered. This was the young man that was capable of seducing anyone to his side, using only charm and brilliance.

The one who used his professor to tell him about the most forbidden piece of Magic known in the wizarding world. The one who manipulated Hepzibah Smith into telling him about her most precious possessions. The one who inspired such loyalty that his fanatical followers would rather go to Azkaban than renounce him. The poor, orphan boy who rose to the top of wizarding Britain.

This inconspicuous form only served to make the attack more unpredictable. To conceal the madness hidden within. Perhaps Tom Riddle was now more dangerous than Lord Voldemort ever was.

“So I’ve heard.” Riddle nodded with a charming smile.

Alexa restrained herself from showing relief. For the first time ever, she was grateful for Druella.

Her Occlumency shields, though not in the best condition due to her tipsiness were tightly coiled around her most precious memories. Unfortunately they were definitely not strong enough to guard her immediate emotions and so some of her relief must’ve shown on her face.

When a predator sees weakness, he pounces.

“You seem nervous, Lady Alexandrine. Have I caused offense?”

“Not at all.” she shook her head, trying to sound as unbothered as possible. “But would it not be proper to introduce oneself before requesting a dance from a Lady?”

The seductive smile left his face before she could blink.

_Stupid! You were supposed to act dumb not remind him of his lower social status! God! Are you trying to get yourself killed?! Stupid! Stupid!_

“I was under the impression that it wouldn’t be necessary.” Riddle said quietly, closing the distance between them in two, smooth steps. Her back stiffened, but she forced herself not to step back. Riddle smiled, but this time his eyes were cold. “That you knew who I was.”

_No ‘Lady Alexandrine’ this time. Fuck! Think Alexa! Think!_

She was panicking, she needed to get it together and quickly.

_The fucking wine. Why in Gods name did I ever drink it?_

“Maybe I’m a bit overzealous with propriety.” she proposed in a joking voice, trying to sound like a dolt. She moved her shoulders a bit, prompting her body to relax a bit. Riddle stared at her for a moment, then narrowed his eyes a fraction.

_Holy hell, he’s not buying it!_

“Understandable.”

_Oh, why is he not pressing it?_

At that moment, a waiter passed by, offering them drinks. Riddle took a glass of wine and without asking, put the other one in her hand. Alexa accepted it with a polite smile, but didn’t drink.

_No way in hell am I doing that again…_

Especially since that last glass was slowly starting to set in and her thought processes were becoming a bit jumbled. In the meantime, Riddle tilted back his glass and took a dignified sip.

“Tell me about yourself, Lady Alexandrine. I’ve heard great things.” he mentioned politely in a manner that could be considered off-hand if she didn’t know anything about him.

Alexa shrugged, smiling pleasantly.

“Not much to say. I’m hoping to do well on my OWLs, I want to become a Healer in the future. Maybe work at Saint Mungo’s...”

If he was surprised at the news, he didn’t show it. No, he was way too sophisticated of a player to act in this way. Unlike Lady Evalyn, though he undoubtedly shared her sentiments. Instead Riddle listened with polite interest, just watching her.

If she didn’t know her fate hindered on this very conversation, she would’ve thought him indifferent, but what sounded deceivingly similar to small-talk, could mean life or death in this case.

“That’s quite ambitious. Though, from what Bella tells me, OWLs shouldn’t be any problem.” Riddle said calmly. “Were you not breaking records at Beauxbatons?”

She laughed, waving her hand in a gesture of dismissal.

“Bella is too kind, really. I do admit to being a bookworm, however. I love nothing more than spending my days at the library. I appreciate the peace and quiet...”

**He found himself nodding along as the girl continued to drone on about books and the wonders of the library. So far, she was nothing like he expected. His Death Eaters painted a picture of a confident, strong and brilliant young woman. This person here… was not it.**

**Both Lucius and Rodolphus told him how powerful her Occlumency was. She was supposedly a natural. So why was she looking him in the eye so persistently? Foolishness? Arrogance? No… not arrogance, for that she seemed almost too… fidgety.**

**Bella couldn’t have told the girl anything too horrible, surely. She’d never dare to do so, even if she did have some sort of weak spot for the chit.**

**Lucius, he now had to admit, wasn’t selling her short after all. When the Malfoy Scion recounted their encounter, he found himself skeptical. After all, the boy was engaged to Narcissa Black, a notoriously beautiful girl, yet he appeared completely smitten by her cousin. It seemed an unbelievable notion at the time, but now... he could see why Lucius was so taken with the girl.**

**She was quite… bewitching. Her features were a mix of aristocracy and femininity. Those high, sharp cheekbones and luscious, dark hair could only be the mark of one House. A thick mass of pitch black waves that seemed to suck the light out of the room, crowned her delicate, oval face.**

**Her nose was feminine and dainty, slightly upturned at the tip. The lines and edges of her face, including the jawline were gentle and softly rounded. Defined, full lips as well as big, round eyes gave her an almost doll-like appearance. Those eyes, surrounded by a curtain of dark eyelashes, were absolutely mesmerizing.**

**Miss Black was taller than the typical girl her age, with endlessly long legs and a slim, but supple body. The blue dress she wore revealed the shoulders and collarbones, as well as a long, elegant lines of her neck.**

**The girl’s physical attributes seemed to be a mix of typical Black features and an alluring sort of femininity, which made her look quite delicate. A most tempting combination. All four of the girls from House Black were gorgeous, but this one… stood out somehow.**

**Yes, physically she was striking. That at least turned out to be corrected, but what use was that? Well… potentially a few, but she was still so young.**

**Which made it even more shocking that she appeared this… mature. He’d never guess that she wasn’t even sixteen. Twenty sounded more like it. There was a certain ease to her mannerisms, a comfort and self-awareness born out of confidence and the knowledge of ones body. Young girls were usually more nervous and ill at ease in their own skin. Sometimes it took them way into their twenties to reach this level of physical consciousness.**

**Something in those dazzling, sapphire eyes betrayed knowledge. Knowledge of the unknown, of the darker parts of human nature, maybe even of hardship. But what kind of hardship could a spoiled, Pureblood brat go through?**

**No, she didn’t seem the type. Her jewelry could as well be non-existent in comparison to the other women of her station that were currently in attendance. In fact, it looked like she was keeping to herself during most of the event. Not at all like other girls her age. Something was... off.**

**One minute she was nervous and restrained, the other, talkative and light-hearted. She wasn’t acting… cohesively. Could she be lying? Would she dare?**

**It would make sense, oddly enough. His Death Eaters may not be geniuses, but they were not fools either. Bella, at least, had every opportunity to learn about the girl and she never mentioned any gullible notions of starting a career as a Healer.**

**The chit practiced the Arts, for Merlin’s sake! She couldn’t be this bookworm, goody-two-shoes that was speaking to him right now. This monologue about feather quills was a bit too practiced. It sounded like she’d said it all before. What was she trying to accomplish?**

**No, this did not seem real. This bewitching creature before him couldn’t be so… bland. The most genuine expression on her face was the first one. Equal parts fear and fascination. He needed to bring them back in order to see her true colors again.**

Reheating the same monologue she once gave to Neville in front of the future Dark Lord was probably the most surreal thing that ever happened to her. Including the whole Soul Traveling business. What surprised her more was that he let her do it. His eyes didn’t glaze over once, even though she was completely certain that he wasn’t listening to a single word. With any luck, he would get bored and excuse himself soon enough.

“Lady Alexandrine…” Riddle interrupted, when she made the mistake of pausing for air.

_No fucking luck today, huh?_

“If I may ask… What are your intentions as Head of House Selwyn?”

She laughed lightly, shaking her head.

“I’ll probably appoint a representative to take care of it all. Politics are so terribly tedious...”’

“Is that so? Your cousin Bellatrix gave me the impression that you would be more involved.” Riddle countered, suddenly looking much more interested in the conversation.

Alexa hesitated, because it felt like she was being set up for a trap. She had to be extra careful about her words if she didn’t want Bella to get into trouble. If he felt like this conversation was a waste of his time, he might decide to take it out on her.

**I was right, the girls is lying to me. This will be… entertaining.**

“Yes, that was my plan when I was younger, but now I have found myself rapidly losing interest.” she shrugged noncommittally, twirling her wine glass to cover up for the tension emanating from her body.

“Then your priorities might change again.” Riddle suggested, a bit too insistently for the comment to be casual. His next words only confirmed in Alexa’s mind, that he wasn’t going to be dissuaded as easily as she’d been hoping for. “I’m hoping they will, especially with your special… skills. Are they the reason why you face me so bravely?”

_Crap!_

“No, it is me giving you the benefit of the doubt.” Alexa lied, all the while wearing a polite smile. “You haven’t yet overstepped any boundaries.”

“But I’d never dare. I wouldn’t want to end up a drooling idiot.” Riddle told her with a chuckle, then took a sip of wine. He looked remarkably comfortable.

Alexa winced.

_Looks like Rodolphus delivered my message verbatim. Fuck… Why did I ever say that again?_

The situation needed to be swiftly deescalated and preferably, completely shifted away from this topic. Her smile came out a bit shaky this time.

**She’s breaking.**

“I may have overreacted, but-”

He didn’t let her finish.

“Lady Alexandrine, I am growing weary of this conversation.” Riddle interrupted, a threatening note unmistakable in his voice. He shifted his body, suddenly encroaching on her personal space and shielding her away from the party. His eyes, though still a gorgeous emerald green somehow became more ominous in expression. “Either I have misjudged Bellatrix, your dearest cousin misjudged you or… someone is being dishonest. I will not stoop to the level of making baseless accusations, but I do demand an explanation… this time, a more plausible one, if you will.”

_Shit! He called me out. I didn’t expect him to do that, even if he was onto me. That’s not a very Slytherin thing to do, is it? Or maybe it is, since now I have no choice. Fuck, he is so intimidating!_

His presence was quickly becoming overwhelming. Riddle was expanding his Magical Power, pushing it forward in her direction. The air turned a bit less… breathable, heavier and more stifling. It was a clear threat, one she knew not to underestimate.

Alexa watched him for a moment, her body rigidly strung. This was hopeless. She didn’t have the clarity of mind to engage in this… verbal repartee contest. And she definitely didn’t have the mental fortitude to go against him if he decided to escalate.

She knew that if he decided to use Legilimency right now, she’d be completely done. Looking him in the eye was nothing but a bluff. If he pressed… he would find out things she’d rather die than reveal. Alexa’s eyes darted over his face nervously, noticing the determined tightening of his lips and the expansion of his threatening aura. Then… she sighed. Audibly.

**Check mate.**

The fake smile fell away from her face and her timbre evened out and deepened to it’s usual level.

“All I want is to live in peace. I do not care for whatever political objectives your… people want to accomplish.” she admitted quietly, feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the turn this conversation suddenly took.

Riddle, on the other hand, looked exceedingly pleased. His Magical Power suddenly withdrew entirely, leaving the air clearer and more breathable. She breathed a sigh o relief while, in the privacy of her mind, hating herself for that instinct. That all he had to do to scare her was flaunt his extraordinarily stifling Magical Energy was an embarassment for her. She was supposed to be more battle-hardened than that.

“Finally, we can discuss some substance. I think you owe me that dance, Lady Alexandrine.” he said lowly, a smirk playing on his handsome face. He bowed and extended his hand in invitation. “A recompense, if you will.”

For wasting his time, obviously. She knew that without having to hear it. Still, Alexa couldn’t help but hesitate. To willingly take the hand of Lord Voldemort… she couldn’t even fully fathom it. Emerald green eyes narrowed dangerously.

“I wouldn’t want to think that you’ve purposely deceived me, Lady Alexandrine. A gesture of good will would go a long way in... earning my favor.”

_Is that what I really want? To earn his favor?_

Her heart tightened painfully, tears pressing against her eyes, though she’d never let them fall. Hesitantly, she accepted his hand and followed him to the dance floor. If he noticed the way she flinched, he didn’t comment on it.

The crowd parted before him like The Red Sea. Curious, gossip-hungry eyes followed their every steps. Whispers erupting behind their backs. As they reached their destination, her eyes met with Bella’s.

Her cousin was standing next to Rodolphus, smiling at her with obvious excitement. When she looked over at Bella’s husband, he gave her a firm nod. Tearing her eyes away from the two, she faced her greatest nemesis.

Smirking, Riddle placed a firm hand on her side and ignoring the way she gasped, began leading her along the dance floor in an elegant waltz. Alexa struggled to ignore him, but it was impossible to do. All she could think of was the warm, firm grip of his hands.

It didn’t disgust her, like she thought it would, but the feeling of it was so foreign and frankly...confusing. This perfect, charming visage was so opposed to everything she knew to be inside that she could barely reconcile the two.

As expected, Riddle was an excellent dancer. He moved with the same ease and confidence that Regulus displayed just moments ago. They were both naturals, although Reggie, bless his soul, wasn’t as… dominant in the way he led her.

Riddle imposed a strict rhythm. His body moved expertly through the floor, but his arms created an unyielding frame. She felt like she couldn’t move him if she tried. He was entirely unbending and inflexible. All she could do was to follow. Because of course, that is how he would want it.

“It’s not so bad, is it Lady Alexandrine?” Riddle asked with a charming smile.

She couldn’t focus enough to come up with anything smart. All she could think about were his hands on her body, the way he towered over her, even though she was almost 5’10. In reality, he was about a head taller, but the distance felt so much bigger because of his overpowering demeanor.

Loathe as she was to admit it, from up close he was even more gorgeous. That Cupid’s bow looked sharp enough to be carved from marble. His eyes seemed even brighter and more intense and his features appeared more striking overall.

**Merlin, was she a thing of beauty. Her olive complexion was so incredibly smooth up close. It had this beguiling type of glow that made it appear silky to the touch. It was a theory that he badly wanted to test, especially since from this vantage point, he was presented with a most enticing glimpse at her cleavage. What skin he could see, tempted him to reveal some more.**

There was also... a scent. Very distinct and incredibly fresh. Like peppermint and orange blossoms as well as something earthy and musky, perhaps… sandalwood. Maybe it was all the alcohol in her system, but she felt oddly intoxicated by it.

**An exquisite scent permeated his senses. Sweet and tart at the same time. He could sense a delicious note of vanilla, jasmine as well as tangy forest berries. She smelled good enough to eat and the sentiment was only magnified by the sensation of warm, feminine curves under his hand. Almost instinctively, his palm drifted down to her waistline.**

His hand lightly squeezed her waist and Alexa’s eyes snapped up to his. Her heartbeat spiked as she felt herself become consumed by their intensity. This was so… confusing. All of it. He wasn’t acting like she expected him to. Not in the least and… there was also this magnetism to him.

She knew Tom Riddle was supposed to be a charming, master manipulator, but knowing what she knew, she didn’t expect to be affected by it, but… she was. Alexa felt like he was weaving a beautiful web to entrap her into and then slowly luring her in.

The thumb on her waist moved up and then down again in something that felt awfully close to… a caress. A shiver went through her whole body, making her spine arch and her body seemingly lean into his own. She attempted to step back, but the iron-clad grip prevented her from doing so.

Alexa felt her cheeks warming up. Unable to withstand his penetrating gaze, she looked down, breaking their eye contact for the first time since they stepped onto the dance floor. Still, she could almost see the satisfied look on his face. If only he wasn’t so bloody intimidating.

**Miss Black is blushing. How… charming.**

“What do you know about my purpose, Lady Alexandrine?” Riddle asked calmly, his voice low and quiet, because they were now so close to each other, he need only whisper to be heard.

“Only what Bella told me.” she responded equally as quietly, eyes darting to the other couples on the dance floor.

Covert looks were thrown their way from every direction. The first song morphed into the second one and they were showing no signs of stopping, their dance comprised of graceful, but simple steps that made it easy to keep up a conversation. Riddle wasn’t letting up.

“Specifics, Lady Alexandrine. Don’t make me beg.” There was almost a teasing edge to his voice now and the words itself were nearly enough to make her laugh.

_Like Lord Voldemort would ever stoop down to begging._

Alexa considered her options for a moment. Since she was already on thin ice, lying was too risky. Even the most vague sign of dishonesty could get her into trouble now.

“She said that you want to put your people in high places of power.”

“To what ends?” he pressed, causing her to sigh in exasperation.

“Supposedly, to protect the values and traditions of Old Families.”

Riddle smirked when he heard that phrasing.

“Supposedly? Are you implying there’s a hidden agenda there?”

“Yes.” Alexa agreed, meeting his gaze hesitantly. “I’d like to know what it is.”

A teasing glint appeared in his eyes.

“World domination, what else?”

Instantly, she tripped over her own two feet. If he wasn’t holding her as strongly as he was, she really would’ve embarrassed herself. When she righted herself and gazed up at Riddle, she saw him looking quite amused.

“One glass too many?”

_Is he joking with me right now?_

She couldn’t believe he said that. Was he admitting the truth? Why the hell would he do that? Was this some kind of Slytherin reverse psychology?

“Are you serious?” Alexa asked incredulously, before she could connect her brain to her mouth.

_I’m never drinking again._

Riddle leaned in, his breath warm against her ear.

“Am I?”

His deep, silky voice so near to her body made a shiver run down her spine. A song ended and immediately morphed into a different one, but this time Riddle didn’t continue the dance. He bowed, she curtsied and then he led her away from the dance floor.

“Thank you for the dance, Lady Alexandrine.” Riddle said courteously, a devilishly charming smile on his face. “I think we can now forget any previous… misunderstandings.”

Again, her mouth moved before she could control it.

“Those were three dances. What were the other two for?”

When she heard herself, she winced. Riddle’s expression, on the other hand, was somewhere between surprised and impressed.

**Cheeky little thing.**

“Let’s call it the beginning of a beautiful partnership.” Riddle said with as much confidence as one would when describing the sky as being blue.

He was completely ignoring the fact that she has already refused to join him and they both knew that she did. This time Alexa smartened up and held her mouth closed. Of course, he wouldn’t be dissuaded so easily, but this stubborn arrogance was both aggravating and… worrying.

She couldn’t help but think that Riddle may still have an ace hidden up his sleeve. He was too self-assured not to, but if he did, why would he not pull it out yet?

“I didn’t know we were partners.” Alexa asserted evenly. His gaze was challenging.

“As I said, this is just the beginning.” Riddle declared and allowed silence to fall between them for a few seconds, before reaching out for her hand expectantly.

Again she hesitated, but ended up succumbing in fear of antagonizing him. When she gave him what he wanted, Riddle smirked and placed a soft, though lingering kiss on her hands, all the while keeping that emerald green gaze, piercing right into her own. A shiver went through her whole body, down to the tips of her toes.

“Lady Alexandrine...”

Alexa curtsied, but then hesitated, searching for a response and coming up empty.

“I still don’t know what to call you.”

Riddle’s penetrating gaze swept over Alexa with laser sharp focus. For some reason, anxiety built up inside her chest, but then it burst like a bubble when finally he said:

“Call me Tom.”

* * *

Watching him walk away gave Alexa no feeling of relief. In fact, she wanted to scream. She screwed it up. Completely. In every way. She made it worse than it ever was.

_Just the beginning… it was supposed to be the end._

When he said his real name, she nearly fainted on the spot. Bella was calling him Voldemort, which meant that he already abandoned his Muggle surname, but didn’t yet come up with the idea to make everyone fear saying it. If that was the case, then his Muggle name shouldn’t really be public knowledge, should it? Did that happen later or maybe it wasn’t going to happen at all? How radically did her appearance already change history?

Alexa’s eyes burned from withheld tears. She turned, looking for someone to help her and immediately spotted Uncle Orion and Aunt Walburga sitting at a table.

_Thank God._

Knowing that a hawk-like pair of eyes was scrutinizing her every move, she took extra care to sit down in the most ladylike way possible. Yet, Aunt Burga didn’t look overly pleased. In fact, she had a certain look on her face, the one that usually preceded a lecture about ‘what it means to be a Black’.

“Aunt, Uncle. How wonderful to see you.” Alexa greeted them with a smile, albeit a bit shaky one.

“Alexandrine, dear. Are you enjoying yourself?” Uncle Orion asked, nodding politely in greeting.

“I’m growing tired, to be honest.” she sighed, without hiding her weariness. “Crowds aren’t something that I enjoy.

“Likewise.” Orion agreed and it looked like he was about to say something more, but suddenly his wife spoke up.

“I do enjoy socializing. For example, I just had a very interesting conversation with Lady Evalyn Crabbe.” Walburga said in a sickeningly sweet tone. “Can you guess what we spoke about, my dear?”

Alexa flinched at the news, feeling her anxiety start building up.

_Uh-oh._

“You know I don’t like gossip, Aunt Burga.” she laughed nervously, trying to defuse the tension. Apparently she was unsuccessful, because the next moment Walburga dropped all pretense of contentment.

“We’ll discuss this at home, Alexandrine. I am very unhappy with your behavior.” Walburga told her, a stern look in her eye. Indeed, her lips were pursed with displeasure.

Alexa’s shoulders slumped. In Walburga language that meant ‘I will absolutely rake you over the coals the moment we’re alone’. On one hand, Aunt Burga could be as terrifying as a dragon, but on the other she found it extremely endearing that she referred to Grimmuald Place as if it was their home. She knew that in her mind, Walburga had adopted her years ago.

Which made her feel even more guilty about disappointing the woman. Her face fell and once again, she found herself sighing heavily. Walburga scrunched up her nose.

“Your breath smells like wine. Take a Sober-up, girl.”

And with that, she performed a miracle. She reached into her clutch and pulled up exactly what Alexa needed. It was a little, glass bottle with canary yellow contents.

“Thank you, Aunt Burga. You’re a life saver.” she mumbled with an embarrassed smile and downed the contents in one go.

Immediately, the fog cleared from her mind. She sighed. Had she known her Aunt kept those on hand, she would’ve faked going to the bathroom and grabbed one as soon as Riddle approached.

“Now that you’re felling better, go and find that troublesome son of mine. I’m confident he’s hiding from me.” Walburga said, looking around the room with her vigilant gaze.

“Which one is the troublesome one again?” Alexa teased, which earned her an unamused look from her Aunt and an exasperated sigh from her Uncle. Those two were like two peas in a pod. “Okay, I’m on it.”

She was about to walk away when Orion’s voice halted her.

“Alexa.” He said quietly, causing her to turn, a curious expression on her face. His face looked as stern as always, except for the distinct furrowing in his brow, which was unusually expressive of him. “Be careful about the company you keep.”

She blinked, a bit taken aback by the statement. She looked over to see Aunt Burga’s face and saw a picture of emotionlessness. With a constricting feeling growing in her chest, she realized that they must’ve seen her dancing with Riddle. But Uncle Orion so rarely, if ever, concerned himself with other’s people business, that she simply didn’t expect this from him.

In fact, she thought they’d both be delighted by what must’ve seemed like a very close comradery with Voldemort. After all, they’ve spent a solid twenty minutes in conversation, including three, formal dances. In her first life, she knew that his parents had tried pressuring Sirius into joining the Death Eaters. So what did that mean? Were they now suddenly opposed to him?

Uncle Cygnus and Bella only recently brought up Voldemort during the family meeting. Maybe Voldemort simply hasn’t yet dragged Orion and Walburga over to his side? If so, she might still have a chance to intercept them before he does. Alexa filed that vital piece of information away for later.

What she liked about Uncle Orion, was that he treated her like an adult and gave her every respect that came with it. He wasn’t overly loving like her father or indulgent and prone to spoiling her like Cygnus. It seemed that showing affection gave him a bit more difficulty, but in her mind, this warning was proof enough.

Orion wasn’t a person who made grandiose gestures, but he considered her family and therefore, worth protecting. In many ways, he adapted to Walburga’s view and saw her as a foster daughter. How could he not when she spent weeks at a time in their home and even had a permanent room there?

She knew where she stood with Orion. He spent time with her, taught her everything he knew about Potions. He even helped her with outing Druella from the family meetings. Mostly because he agreed with her argument and valued family above all else. So in the end, she didn’t care for grandiose gestures. This quiet type of support was all that she needed to know that he cared.

“Thank you, Uncle.” she said simple, giving him a smile full of gratitude.

Orion’s expression didn’t change, he merely nodded in acknowledgment. She knew both his and Walburga’s eyes were following her as she moved through the crowd in search of Sirius. If she knew one thing about her cousin, it was the fact the she could always find him in one of two places.

Either where he could wreak the most havoc or eat the most food. So she asked a House Elf to lead her to the kitchens. Just the fact that the Elf didn’t look surprised by her request, was indication enough that she was on the right track.

When she walked in the Elves stilled for a moment to gawk, but then promptly returned to their work. It didn’t take her long to spot Sirius. He was sitting on a barstool with a bowl of ice cream in his hands. When he saw her, he whistled.

“Looking good, Lex.” Sirius grinned when she rolled her eyes and showed her the half-full bowl. “Care to cool down? It’s hot as hell out there.”

“Actually I would, I need a break.” Alexa nodded, sitting down next to him. Smiling cheekily, she swiped the spoon from his hand and dove in. Sirius placed his hand over his heart in an overly dramatic gesture.

“My own family...” he sighed, shaking his head regretfully. Alexa chuckled before showing a full spoon of strawberry goodness into her mouth. His dumb humor grew on her over the years. “Who are you hiding from?”

She raised her brow challengingly. Sirius liked to play the role of a clown, but he was a Black nonetheless. He could be very observant when he wanted to.

“Pollux.” she shrugged, giving the easy answer, which would not need to be explained any further. Just like expected, Sirius winced at the name and nodded. “Your mother sent me. She thinks you’re hiding from her.”

“Not from her… well, always from her.” Sirius laughed and shoved a portion of ice cream into his mouth, then handed over the spoon. Alexa accepted it with a sunny smile and helped herself. “I’m hiding from everyone. Those people are so… sinister. They smile while they stab each other in the back. I know you can see it too.”

“Yes.”

“I hate it. I could never be like… them.” Sirius said and a sulky expression came over his face. “Bunch of slippery Slytherins is what they are.”

Alexa paused, choosing her words carefully. She knew she was stepping into a mine field here. If the two brothers were quarreling, she didn’t want to fall into the middle of their disagreement without first learning what’s this all about. Choosing sides early on would only hurt her chances of mediating.

“Not all of them are.” she said neutrally, handing back the bowl.

Sirius snorted.

“How would you know?”

“Because I’m smarter than you.” she teased, which made him chortle.

“Sure. You always say that when you don’t want to explain something. I still think that you’re a Seer, you just don’t want to tell me what my future is!” Sirius exclaimed heatedly, pointing an accusing finger, which she lightly slapped away.

“If I were a Seer, I’d never tell such blabbermouth.” Alexa joked, which only caused him to stick out his tongue at her.

Sirius was approaching dangerously close to the truth here. She first heard him say it a few years ago and from then on, he continued teasing her this way. Alexa always dismissed him, but that only made him more persistent. A Black and a Gryffindor was a dangerous combination.

Once Sirius got something into that thick head, it was difficult to dissuade him. That’s how she knew she’d have her work cut out for her as soon as she enters Hogwarts.

“Where will you get Sorted?” Sirius asked excitedly, hopping up and down on the stool. “Gryffindor, right? You always said you want to be a Gryffindor!”

_Only because I was trying to soften up your parents to the idea._

“I have no idea, Sirius.” Alexa told him, shrugging. “I don’t care anymore.”

Truthfully, she cared. Her preference was of a practical nature. She needed to get a handle on the Marauders and specifically, Peter. Alexa wanted to keep an eye on him until she decided on the course of action. More importantly, Slytherin was crawling with wannabe Death Eaters right now and she didn’t need to keep that kind of company, what with Voldemort himself already on her tail.

Also, Gryffindor was her home. By now, she was used to the Snakes, her family was brimming with them, but in her heart of hearts she was still a Lion. At least, that’s what she was hoping for. Being Sorted into Ombrelune kind of stood in the way of that. Her Brauxbatons House was a dangerous mix of Ravenclaw and Slytherin traits. A perfect place for a Black.

For a while it seemed like the perfect solutions. Her worries about Hogwarts were essentially the same now as they were all those years ago. Would it bring back bad memories? Would she be able to fit in knowing those people like she did? Not to mention, knowing that her classmates would soon die? Could she handle it? Especially if they were her Housemates?

All of the Gryffindors were in deep shit. Not one of the Marauders lived in her time. Not to mention the Longbottoms, the McKinnons, the Prewetts and… Lily Potter. It was easier to just… let them go when they weren’t… material. Just names on paper. She didn’t want them to become… real. It was cowardly, she knew, but it was all she could do to deal with such a dark, dreadful reality.

“My House is Ombrelune.” she clarified, which instead wiping off the outrage from her cousin’s face, only turned it into confusion.

“Then why didn’t you stay?”

“Because I couldn’t handle one more day without you.” Alexa deflected with a laugh, throwing her arm over Sirius’ shoulders. He grinned.

“I’m awesome, right?” She rolled her eyes and a moment later, Sirius grinned even wider. “You’re not denying it!”

“No point wasting my breath, you would only pretend not to hear it.”

He put his hand to his ear in a theatrical manner.

“What?”

“Idiot.” Alexa chuckled at his antics and took one last spoonful of ice-cream, thus cleaning up the bowl. “I’m going back and you should too. You promised me a dance, remember?”

“I think I can be excused, you just ate my food.” Sirius teased, showing her the empty dish.

“No can do.” Alexa responded in a sing-song voice, then ruffled his hair before heading out.

“Not the hair!” Sirius yelled in outrage.

Without turning back, she waved to her cousin and left the kitchen. When she came back out into the garden, her eyes immediately scanned for Voldemort, but he was nowhere to be found. She was too pessimistic to think that he simply left. He was still probably lurking somewhere in the shadows and she would much rather have her eye on the man.

Instead of him, she found someone equally interesting. Her father, whom she told to stay away for the duration of the party, because she wanted to keep him out of Voldemort’s eyes, was now sitting at one of the tables with… a lady. A very pretty lady, smiling and nodding vigorously at something he just said.

_Hmm… who knew?_

Alexa smiled, because even from where she stood, she could see that her father was putting on the charm. It was time too. A decade and a half was a long time to live alone. No matter how much Alphard loved her mother and missed her terribly, she knew he was lonely sometimes. He missed that sort of companionship, especially when she was away at school.

As Alexa observed from afar, the pretty lady laughed and playfully slapped him on the arm.

_Way to go, Dad._

With her mood suddenly better, Alexa decided to make herself scarce and let her father live a little. He bloody well deserved it. Searching for Andromeda didn’t prove very fruitful. She was there, of course, but surrounded by her in-laws now. Alexa didn’t feel like stepping into a hornet’s nest so instead she raided the food table.

The caviar appetizer was now long forgotten. Her stomach craved more food, specifically seafood. Beauxbaton’s menu was centered around seafood and by now she was so used to it, she could barely do without it. When a waiter carrying shrimp cocktails caught her eye, she intercepted him and snatched one of the dishes.

Before she could stuff her mouth, someone cleared their throat and with a bit of dejection, she turned to speak with them. Whatever she expected, a platinum blonde head was not it.

“Lady Alexandrine. Finally, we meet again.” Lucius smiled in that familial way, that made her feel so unnerved. She raised a brow.

“It’s been a week, Lord Lucius. Did you miss my company so terribly?”

“A beautiful woman is easy to miss.” he said with an easy smile, bowing slightly as he complimented her. “And I must say, you are truly radiant today, Lady Alexandrine.”

Again, he was doing it. Alexa felt… awkward about this. Why was he saying such things? Was he trying to trick her for some reason? Did Voldemort order him to do that? Hiding her discomfort, she plastered on an expression of disinterest.

“And you’re a very good actor, Lord Lucius. Last time I saw you, you put on quite a compelling performance.”

A playful glint appeared in his gray eyes.

“I have no idea what you mean.”

She didn’t deign that with an answer. Obviously, their meeting wasn’t an accident. Narcissa must’ve told him they’d be in Diagon Alley that day. It wouldn’t be too difficult to “happen” upon her. Alexa turned her face away from the man in a clear dismissal, but the Malfoy Scion was apparently feeling determined.

“Dance with me… please.” Lucius asked, this time without that smug tinge to his voice. His unusually pompous tone garnered her attention. When she did finally look at him, he bowed, extending his hand in invitation.

“I only dance with family members.” Alexa denied him, using the same line she used before. Lucius straightened up again, a teasing smile on his face.

“That’s not what I saw.”

Her face immediately turned cold.  
“Let’s say I was made an offer, I couldn’t refuse.”

Lucius chuckled.

“Yes, I can imagine. Some people can be quite… persistent.”

Before she was able to respond, a female figure in a Slytherin green dress, appeared next to them.

“There you are, darling.” Narcissa said, a smile firm on her face. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“I was getting to know your family.” Lucius said calmly, looking down at her arm as she looped it with his. Narcissa smiled at him again and then turned to Alexa.

“Cousin.”

“Narcissa.” she reciprocated the greeting with equal ardor… or lack thereof. “How are you?”

“Wonderful, as you can see.” her cousin said, a note of arrogance entering her tone as she glanced at her intended. Lucius looked unaffected, his eyes surveying the crowd disinterestedly. “You?”

“Splendid.” Alexa lied, then raised her cocktail glass meaningfully. She glanced at Lucius. It was almost as if he… turned off as soon as his fiance arrived. Looking back at Narcissa, she forced a smile. “I’ll see you soon.”

“You too.” Narcissa said, waving her hand dismissively.

Alexa stopped herself from rolling her eyes at the last second. It was clear that her causing wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible. Predictably, after the last family meeting, their relationship became significantly cooler, entering glacial territory.

“Lady Alexandrine…” Lucius spoke up expectantly. Sighing, she handed him her hand and the man kissed it, smirking triumphantly. “Until we meet again.”

His gray eyes were full of focus as he stared into her eyes. Alexa blinked, feeling a bit startled by their intensity once again. Just a moment ago, he was cold as ice and now… it was so odd, like flipping a switch. His eyes were suddenly alive. She gazed into them for a moment, feeling disconcerted. He wanted something, but she couldn’t tell what.

Well, usually when a man looked at her in this way, she didn’t have to speculate about his intentions. But… Lucius Malfoy? Of all people? She just didn’t buy it. He was engaged to Narcissa for Gods sake! In her mind, her cousin was one of the most unattainably beautiful, graceful women to walk the earth. What was he even thinking?

“Lord Lucius.” Alexa said in goodbye, curtsying briefly.

Her eyes swept over the gorgeous pair again and when they fell onto Narcissa’s face, she saw a look of annoyance there. In fact, her cousin was gracing her with a decidedly cool expression. Even colder than the one she wore during their greeting.

But this time, Alexa knew not to ask and honestly, she was starting to lose interest in Narcissa’s mood-swings. Whatever her problem, it was her own.

Feeling frustrated, she left the two to have a moment alone with her prawns. Finding herself a nice, secluded table, she put her roots there and ate her fill while simultaneously weaseling out of dance requests from a few overconfident boys.

Half an hour, she had her highly anticipated dance with Sirius and then another one with her father, who was acting suspiciously flustered and tight-lipped when she asked about his lovely companion. Then the cake was served and a few minute later, she was finally introduced to Brighton Nott.

To say that her expectations were low would be an understatement. Not only was the man a Death Eater, but he didn’t even make any real efforts to meet his future wife’s family before marrying her. What little she knew from Andromeda, didn’t make her feel much better about the man. Dromeda described him as distant and secretive. He looked the part too.

As he was introducing himself, there wasn’t much warmth in his coffee brown eyes. His gestures were perfected, but not because of the natural grace that Lucius possessed, for example. No, Brighton’s mannerisms seemed a bit… pedantic, from lack of a better word. She could tell that man was hyper aware of the way he presented himself from the way he adjusted his, already neatly combed and styled, mousy brown hair.

Brighton had two brothers, the oldest of which had to be Theo Nott's father, a Death Eater, as well as the Heir to House Nott. Needles to say, she wasn't exactly thrilled to have him in the family. In fact, if it was up to her, their House would die out a generation ago. Truthfully, she remained unimpressed and Brighton wasn't making any headway in changing her mind.

Despite his brisk, compulsively fueled gestures, Brighton appeared unperturbed by his own wedding. Andromeda, on the other hand, was the picture of a perfect, Pureblood bride. At least on the outside. She looked truly radiant, if a bit tired at this point.

“Tell me, Lady Alexandrine. Shall I expect you at the next meeting?” Brighton asked, as soon as the pleasantries were over. Andromeda glanced at her cousin, then husband, visibly perplexed.

As soon as the question was asked, Alexa began Occluding. Heavily enough to wipe all emotion from her face. Brighton wouldn’t be the first Death Eater to try his luck this week.

It also looked like Dromeda had no idea about what her husband was involved with. She would have to make sure that Brighton didn’t intend on involving her. If he did… she would have to intervene, because there was no way that Andromeda would join Voldemort. No way in hell.

“Not at all.” Alexa declared emotionlessly. “I don’t think we have any shared interests in that regard.”

“Do we not?” Brighton questioned, using an almost mocking tone.

Alexa didn’t let the worry or confusion to show on her face. Instead, she fixed her gaze firmly upon his face, just watching. Brighton’s smile didn’t reach his eyes.

“I was under the impression that we had… mutual friends, at least.”

Understanding dawned on her a second later. Brighton was baiting her. He was acting on orders. That’s why Voldemort was so cocky earlier. He was going to use the Death Eaters in her family to cajole her into joining.

“Lord Brighton, let me make myself clear, my family are all the friends that I need.” Alexa declared adamantly, keeping a firm hold on her anger.

“That is a brave thing to say.” Brighton pointed out, laughing coolly. At this point, Andromeda looked beyond confused. Her husband glanced at her briefly. “We’re speaking of Lord Voldemort, dear. You’ve met him today.”

“Yes, I remember. He seemed… impressive.” Andromeda said with a polite smile, but knowing her like she did, it was clear to Alexa that the words were chosen carefully. She looked into her cousin’s eyes, their communication brief. ‘Later’.

Brighton suddenly looked to the side and he must’ve seen something, because a moment later…

“It’s time to make our final rounds, dear.”

“Oh… yes, of course.” Andromeda nodded, suddenly a bit flustered. Her eyes flickered to Alexa, panicked. “Will you help me prepare?”

“For what?”

Dromeda flushed.

“The wedding night.” she whispered quickly, looking around to see if anyone overheard.

“Oh… sure.” Alexa confirmed, easily catching up to her meaning. Andromeda nodded with a small sigh, clearly relieved.

“I thought you would ask your sister Bellatrix, since she’s already wed.” Brighton questioned his wife, brow furrowed.

“Alexa is like a third sister to me.” Dromeda replied shortly, her tone making it clear that no additional explanation was needed.

He didn’t look satisfied by the response, but didn’t contradict his wife aloud. In truth it was traditional for the bridesmaids to help the bride prepare for the wedding night. Sometimes one was asked and other times all of them. It was a perfect cover to discuss… what they needed to discuss, except for the fact that Narcissa and Bella might feel a bit salty about it.

Not that it mattered very much in this case. They both knew that they needed to talk before… things happened. Especially Alexa already promised her cousin that she would handle everything and that certainly took priority over somebody else’s feelings. Besides, Bella would get over it within the next hour and Narcissa… well, she didn’t care about Narcissa.

“I will be there when you need me.” she promised, knowing her cousin needed reassurance.

Andromeda nodded, smiling gratefully. Brighton surveyed them both with a critical eye, then took his wife’s hand.

“Come now. We must bid our guests farewell.” he told her in a commanding voice, that immediately annoyed both women. He then turned to Alexa and bowed stiffly. “Lady Alexandrine.”

“Lord Brighton.” she answered, giving a shallow curtsy. Before she was even back to her full height, he was already pulling Dromeda away.

Alexa narrowed her eyes at the pair. She didn’t like him. Specifically, his patronizing, controlling attitude towards Andromeda. More importantly, she hated his connection to Voldemort and how that could potentially impact her cousin. She hated all of it.

However, there wasn’t much time to dwell on her frustration. Instead, she had matters to attend to. Careful not to draw too much attention to herself, she stepped out of the garden and made her way to the gates. As soon as she was beyond the protective barrier of Nott Castle, Alexa made sure that she was alone and called:

“Daisy!”

She paced in front of the gate, waiting. Nearly three minutes later, her faithful, blue-eyed friend appeared out of thin air.

“Miss calls Daisy.”

“Yes. Did you do as I asked?”

Daisy nodded with so much vigor that her big ears flopped around her head, slapping against her cheeks. She produced two, small containers from the pockets of her blue, linen dress. One was a vial with red liquid, the other a small jar with a glowing, transparent paste.

Alexa inspected both with extreme care. First, she opened the jar and smelled the contents, subsequently dipping in her finger to check on the consistency.

“Nice and smooth.” she concluded with a satisfied nod. “Did you take it off the heat precisely when I told you to?”

“Yes! And Daisy stirs eighteen times opposite to the clock!” the little Elf bragged, puffing out her chest with pride. Alexa smiled indulgently and pointed at the other dish, a vial.

“And this one?”

“Took it just now! Fresh as can be!”

Alexa heaved a deep sigh and put both containers deep into her dress pocket.

“Thank you, Daisy. Brilliant work. You can go now.”

“Daisy knows.” she said in a sing-song voice, then popped away.

_Cheeky._

Feeling relieved that her plan was coming up nicely, Alexa walked back through the gates and straight into the house. If it wasn’t for Daisy, she’d have to skip the wedding party entirely and that would make her subsequent appearance very suspect.

Both ingredients needed to be made within the hour of being used, which made the spell even more tricky. Not to mention, the instructions for the paste were extremely vague. It took her three tries and a lot of VERY expensive, rare plants to perfect the thing.

There’s no way Andromeda could’ve made it herself, she didn’t have much experience with such volatile potions, only NEWT level work. Not to mention, she would’ve balked at the idea if she knew what the spell really was. She probably would’ve agreed in the end, Dromeda was a Black after all, but Alexa wanted to spare her the dilemma. Especially since she was pregnant and worrying wouldn’t do her much good.

On the way, she was lucky enough to find an Elf who led her to Dromeda’s room. The groom and bride would prepare for the wedding night separately and then meet in their marriage bed, which suited Alexa very nicely.

Before Andromeda even arrived, an array of spells was placed on the room. Protective Wards and Barriers she learned from Bill all those years ago. One to ensure their privacy, one to warn about intruders, one to suppress Magic from leaking to the outside. Dromeda opened the door, just as she was putting away her wand.

When she passed the Magical barrier, her cousin raised her brows questioningly.

“Insurance.” Alexa shrugged, locking the door with a wave of her hand. Andromeda smiled at the display of wandless Magic and walked over. “Okay, drop your clothes.”

Andromeda snickered.

“Merlin, Alexa. Ask a girl for dinner, at least.

She rolled her eyes.

“Time’s short. Chop, chop. Down to your underwear.”

Dromeda giggled, but did as was asked. Alexa helped undo the buttons in the back of her dress and in short order, her cousin was in front of her with significantly less layers.

“The corset too.” she said, already shifting behind to help her untie it. Andromeda laughed again.

“Are you always so bossy in bed?”

“When the mood strikes.” Alexa mocked, making quick work of the garment.

She had a feeling Dromeda was joking to help with the tension she undoubtedly felt. Sure, she was no virgin, but sleeping with a virtual stranger still had to be stressful. Especially with the prudish upbringing all Pureblood girls received.

When Andromeda was sufficiently undressed, Alexa took out the jar and the vial. The first one, she set on the dresser and the second, she handed over to her cousin.

“Drink up.”

Dromeda uncorked the vial and looked at it with clear suspicion. She sniffed it and scrunched up her face.

“What the hell is that? It smells foul.”

Alexa sighed.

“It’s best you don’t know.”

Andromeda looked up, panic widening her chocolate brown eyes.

“That bad?”

“I’ll tell you after you drink it.” Alexa said, staring at her meaningfully.

Dromeda took a deep breath and downed the red liquid in one go. As soon as the taste hit her tongue, she coughed, putting her hand to her mouth like she was trying to stop herself from throwing up. Her face twisted in disgust.

“What the hell, Alexa?” her cousin protested, still coughing. “That’s so gross! What is that?”

“Blood.” she said simply, taking the vial from her hands. Dromeda squealed with revulsion.

“Alexa! That’s disgusting!”

At this moment, she was glad she put up those Wards, otherwise half of the guests would hear that outburst. Alexa threw her cousin a look.

“It’s Blood Magic. What did you think it was going to be, red wine?”

Andromeda scowled, putting her hands on her hips.

“Why am I even doing this?” she grumbled. “It’s not like all virgins bleed anyway.”

Alexa chuckled, picking up the jar of paste from the dresser.

“Yes, but the ‘virgins’ who’ll be giving birth in eight months, better bleed a little.”

Dromeda grumbled under her breath.

“Right, better safe than sorry.” she reluctantly agreed, but still remained skeptical. “Who’s blood was it? Couldn’t we just use mine?”

“Would you rather drink your own?” Alexa teased as she opened the jar. “We could, technically. But I don’t want him to have access to your blood. It’s too dangerous.”

“What do you mean ‘have access to my blood’?” Andromeda asked, furrowing her brows in confusion. Alexa bit her lip.

“He’ll gather it, I’m sure. Virgin blood is a precious ingredient. A Dark Wizard could use it for all sorts of spells and potions-”

“How do you know?”

“That he’ll gather it? I would.” Alexa shrugged.

In fact, she already did, but her cousin didn’t need to know that. Then again, Andromeda asked a much more interesting question.

“No, not that. How do you know Brighton is a Dark Wizard?”

Alexa looked at her face. She was calm and curious, not acting surprised at all. She must’ve already suspected it, of course. The Notts weren’t exactly a light family.

“That Wizard he introduced you to, Lord Voldemort.” she told her cousin truthfully and dipped her finger into the paste.

Leaning down, she started slowly and meticulously painting runes or her cousin’s stomach. The paste glowed brightly, almost like glitter on her skin.

“He’s the one that Bella is always talking about, right? So Brighton is involved too… Who is that guy really?” Andromeda asked thoughtfully. “He seemed like... too much. When he spoke to Brighton it was more like a king speaking down to his subject than two political allies.”

Alexa didn’t respond for a few seconds, focusing on the intricate runic pattern. When she was done with that symbol, she looked up at her cousin.

“You have to be very careful. He is more dangerous than you could ever imagine.” Alexa said firmly, allowing her eyes to tell Dromeda just how serious she was. “Never anger him. It could get you killed.”

Andromeda watched her for a moment, deep in thought. In the meantime, Alexa resumed her work.

“He spent a lot of time with you.” her cousin said, but it sounded more like a question. “After you were done talking, he left no more than ten minutes later… almost as if he came here just for you.”

Alexa swallowed, but didn’t pause in her task. Of course, it already occurred to her that Voldemort left suspiciously quickly after their conversation, but she wasn’t arrogant enough to assume that he only came to the party with her in mind. Even if the evidence suggested otherwise...

“Alexa… are you in trouble?” Andromeda asked, her voice full of concern.

Alexa sighed and looked up. The worry on her cousin’s face was so genuine and full of kindness it made her want to confess everything. To forget responsibility, throw herself into her arms and for once, receive some real comfort. But she couldn’t. So like always, she put on a brave face and smiled.

“I’ll manage, I always do.” she assured Dromeda lightly. “Today, we’re worrying about you, okay?”

Andromeda nodded, but she didn’t look entirely convinced, judging by the quizzical looks she was throwing her way. Alexa returned to the runes and, finally done with her stomach, she moved to do her back. The circle of runes was supposed to run around her waist, between her hipbones and bellybutton. She was now halfway done.

“Remember to pretend it hurts.” Alexa advised her calmly. “Hiss or gasp, or make a face, just do something. It will bleed, but it won’t hurt so just fake it. Oh and… act shy. No one has ever seen you naked.”

Dromeda chuckled.

“Except for you, Bella, Cissa...” she recounted playfully, making Alexa laugh.

“Yeah, but maybe don’t tell him that… or you know, anyone.”

“Deal. How does it work though? Does it recreate… you know, the part?”

She shook her head.

“No, it just stores the blood… well, you don’t need to know where. What you need to know is that when the contact is made, the seal on your stomach will activate and release the blood.” Alexa explained. “The spell is a bit finicky, but it will definitely work.”

“Tried it, did you?” Andromeda teased. She rolled her eyes in response. “And what if Brighton knows the spell?”

“He won’t. It’s pretty obscure Magic… and even if he did, there’s no way to prove it.”

There were actually three such spells that she knew of. One was easily detectable and the other impossible while carrying a child. This one was the best option.

Her time in Beauxbatons didn’t go to waste and that doesn’t just mean the school library. She spent years scouring ancient scrolls and studying forgotten spells. As a Black, she had access to resources that she could’ve never even dreamed of as Hermione. Alphard pulled some strings to get her copies of Ancient Greek scrolls. Not to mention the ones that Arcturus provided her with, some supposedly retrieved from the Library of Alexandria centuries ago.

The ones Draco gave her were only the tip of an iceberg. The Blacks possessed a wealth of written, forgotten knowledge in their Family Vault. Arcturus provided her with the necessary access, even though he wasn’t technically supposed to. Some things were passed down only from the Paterfamilias to his Heir, but an exception was made because of her… situation.

“I was worried about the family tapestry.” Alexa confessed, glancing briefly at Andromeda, whose eyes suddenly widened. “But Rusty told me that the spell connects it to family records. The birth certificate from St Mungo’s will have Brighton’s name on it as the father. After you send it to Arcturus, that’s what will appear on the tapestry.”

Andromeda nodded, heaving out a large, relieved breath. They were extremely lucky that Rusty knew that. She dreaded that thought of asking Arcturus himself, as it would immediately arouse his suspicions. Frankly, she didn’t even want to ask her father, because she’d feel awful if she somehow, unintentionally betrayed Andromeda’s confidence.

“There are spells that can test blood status.” Alexa confessed openly. “I don’t know any ways to shield your baby from those, but I will look. When I find something, I will let you know. Hopefully, in the next eight months.”

With one last, careful move of her finger, she painted the last rune and straightened up and saw Dromeda watching her with glassy eyes.

“What’s wrong? Are you nervous?” she asked gently, pushing a few chocolate locks off of her cousin’s face. Andromeda shook her head, sniffling quietly.

“No… it’s just… you do so much for me. I could’ve never done it without you.” she whispered, voice breaking from emotion. Smiling, Alexa put her hands on Dromeda’s cheeks.

“I’m just background support. You’re the one who has to sell the story, okay? Don’t let anyone doubt you. If they do, come down on them hard. The family will support you.”

Andromeda nodded, blinking quickly to repel the tears. She knew it was truth, of course it was. The Blacks wouldn’t let anyone doubt her honor. They would go to war if need be, it was common knowledge. Hopefully, it would be enough to keep the gossip to a minimum. At least they could be certain that no one would dare say anything to her face.

Alexa fixed her gaze on Dromeda’s stomach and gently put her hand on the central rune. Gathering her Magic, she carefully channeled it into her palm, gently pressing against the surface of her cousin’s skin.

“Foramen sanguis.” Alexa whispered, allowing the pulsing tendrils of Magic to sink into the rune.

Immediately, it blazed into life, the others following as if they were catching fire until a bright light emanated from all of them. A moment later they slowly began to dim down. Both of them watched as the runes lost their brightens, eventually fading into nothingness, revealing the smooth surface of skin underneath.

“All done.” Alexa smiled with satisfaction. Dromeda hugged her tightly.

“Thank you…” she repeated hotly. “You’re an angel.”

“Far from it. Not many angels using Blood Magic these days.” Alexa joked, patting her cousin on the back. They separated. “Do you need me for anything else?”

“No, I’ll go change now. Just wait here?”

“Sure.”

After Dromeda was gone, Alexa put the jar and the empty vial back into her pocket. Then she went to work dismantling all of her protective Wards. Ten minutes later they were both done and heading to the Dromeda’s new bedroom. A short ‘goodbye and good luck’ later, Andromeda entered the room, leaving her cousin in the corridor. Alexa sighed heavily behind the door. Now all she had to do was wait for the good news.

“Is my wife inside?”

She turned at the sound of Brighton’s voice and saw him standing in the corridor in a burgundy, silk robe. Alexa looked away politely, assuming he wouldn’t want her to stare.

“Yes. I’ll leave you two alone.”

“Wait a moment.” Brighton halted her firmly and with surprise, she turned to face him. His arms were tightly crossed, jaw clenched. “I ask that you refrain from speaking to my wife about matters that do not concern you. Your refusal to join us is a mistake that I don’t want her to commit.”

Alexa’s face hardened.

_I fucking knew it. He wants to recruit her._

“Andromeda is perfectly capable of making such choices on her own.” she stated coolly. Brighton’s lips twisted into a sneer.

“I’m warning you. Do not put those foolish notions into my wife’s head. You will regret it.”

As soon as the words reached her ears, Alexa was tightening the leash she kept on her emotions. Her demeanor took on a detached air from the very force of her Occlusion, expression hard as stone. But the fire in her eyes blazed with fury, causing a slightly surprised look to appear on his face.

“Then I will return the favor and issue a warning of my own.” Alexa started calmly, her voice dangerously cold as she stared deeply into his eyes. Every word was deliberate. “Andromeda is my sister. If you hurt her, I will kill you.”

Brighton snorted, but the sound quickly quietened, as he noticed the grave look on her face, the absolute confidence in her tone. Frowning, he watched her for a few seconds, silent. She met his gaze unflinchingly.

“You’re serious about this.” Brighton pointed out, disbelief coloring his voice. Alexa didn’t even hesitate.

“Deadly serious.” she confirmed with perfect, detached composure. For a few seconds, they maintained eye contact, as she allowed her message to sink in. Then, Alexa smiled. “Goodnight, Lord Brighton.”

A pause.

“Lady Alexandrine.” Brighton replied, still frowning.

He didn’t bow and she didn’t curtsy. With a last, chilling look Alexandrine moved past him, heading towards the garden.

The wedding party was over. Time to go home and regroup.

* * *

August 11th 2001

At this point her constant pacing established a whole new path in the forest. It’s been an hour since they were supposed to meet and every additional minute passing without Draco’s arrival made her more anxious. They both lived in constant fear of him being discovered as a spy so when he finally appeared, her relief was immediate.

“You always choose those fucking swamps.” he complained upon arrival, trying to wipe his muddied boots against the leaves. Hermione put her arms on her hips.

“Where the hell have you been?” she questioned with annoyance. “I’ve been worried sick!”

Draco sneered.

“How sweet. I was in a meeting, if you must know.” he reported, then sighed. “You people have really stirred shit up this time. Everyone’s furious.”

“Good.” Hermione smirked with satisfaction and Draco rolled his eyes in response.

“No one thought that you’d have the balls to go after Runcorn. Assassinations aren’t really your style.”

“That’s why we had to switch it up.” she grinned.

The Ferret didn’t look impressed. He crossed his arms, leveling her with a critical glare, one eerily familiar to those he used to grace her with at Hogwarts. Right before a certain slur was used.

“It was uncharacteristically stupid of you to act as bait last week. The Carrows are pissed, they both got Crucioed within an inch of their miserable lives.”

“And I should care why?” she snorted. “Death Eaters getting tortured by their own Master sounds like a success to me.”

Draco sighed in exasperation.

“You’re not getting it, Granger. You’re becoming too much trouble. Everyone thinks you’re the leader of the Resistance.”

“I’m not-”

“That doesn’t matter.” Draco bit out, clearly annoyed. “The Dark Lord thinks that you are and now that you’ve become such a pain in his ass, he gave us new orders.”

Then, he suddenly fell silent.

“What are they?” Hermione asked impatiently.

When he hesitated again, she was about to prompt him once more, but then she saw the look of concern in his silver gray eyes. Something she’s never seen there before. Malfoy’s voice turned gravely serious.

“He ordered Dolohov to capture you… alive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello :)  
> It's me again. I've had some unexpected, extra time this week so I thought I would relieve your curiosity. That cliffhanger in the last chapter was brutal, I know ;)  
> This chapter pretty much wrote itself, especially the first part, because I was SO EXCITED about Tom. Now I reeeeaaaally need to go back to writing my thesis, though. I have to mention, I really appreciate that you've all been so understanding about the scarce updates :) 
> 
> In this chapter, I tried to portray that Tom and Alexa will both act a little bit out of character with each other. I wanted their attraction to be instant and I especially wanted for it to feel like they are both extra special to each other. After all, Tom is THE big bad of Alexa's first life and on the flip side, Alexa can't be just another Pureblood tool in Tom's eyes. He needs to instantly see her potential. I hope that comes through in my writing :)
> 
> I'm anxiously awaiting your feedback about the chapter and specifically the Dark Lord himself. Tell me your first impressions! Did you like his POV? So many of you requested it that I just had to try, but I don't know how well it turned out. Why do you think Tom gave Alexa his real name? Most importantly, what do you all think about the character itself? Did you enjoy my portrayal of Tom so far? What's good about it? What's bad? I'm always open to hearing your thoughts. If you can suggest an area of improvement as far as writing about Tom, I'll definitely take that into account.
> 
> Thank you all for reading :) I will see you in the next chapter, as soon as I can!  
> XOXO


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